Sideways
by MaggiSakura
Summary: It's just a little story about loads of people with a bad beginning. And then Maka is in all possible ways struck down by Asura. Very many adventures, AUish, OOC warning, grammar errors and Christ people this was written years ago when I was an egg and living on scraps. Will probably rewrite so free ideas on how to make this better are appreciated.
1. Competition start!

Alright! My first Soul eater fic that has chapters!I hope you continue reading till the last chapter and I try not to bore you too much. This fic has a little romance but since I can't say I fancy it too much, it'll not be the prominent part of the story. You may also find some of the characters a little OOC but I try to keep them in character. Just a little warning before hand; Those who do NOT like evil/manipulative Shinigami may not want to read this. Don't worry. He has his reasons being that way and he's not always like that. If I were to state some warnings then they would be these:

**-underage romance, little gore (in the later chapters), characters might be a little OOC, children nakedness (in the later chapters), character bashing, Plot twisting (very much so.), Blood, Weapon Maka, powerful Maka, Asura's completely raped personality (although I plan to change it back being a maniac. If you read the story you know why he's acting the way he is.) **

**Beta: Otherguy14**

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks_

_

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_

Chapter Start!

_I have been ready for you since you called my name._

It had been no different from a mass murder incident.

All the souls that were scattered around were telling her to leave before her soul too, would be taken by those callous hands. It was the grigori soul that the Kishin wanted to taste, but how unlucky for her, it was her own little soul that, that corrupted god wanted. He wanted to eat it. Swallow it whole and enjoy the nonexistent flavor and then it would just be a part of his power. Maka tried to ignore the feeling, the urge to let him do it but she knew, half of those whispers that urged her were from madness and not from herself.

_Forever with him..._

Many other souls had been swallowed and turned mad. Many hearts were broken by that wicked sickness of his. But Maka didn't break, hasn't been broken ever and will not be. Maybe it was because Maka knew the other man too well to let herself be turned mad but she was no fool.

Everyone had madness inside themselves and it was only matter of time. She was only prolonging her nice little freedom.

Maybe it was some kind of an twisted urge for her to make him suffer and she had to ensure that he wasn't going to do those kind of a things anymore. She will be the one that's going to kill him. She was sure.

But maybe she shouldn't be thinking like this when the said man was directing his scarves at her.

Maka tried to hit his face with her fist. The older man didn't even dodge, just grabbed her fist with one of his scarves and threw her backwards, at least ten meters. A little sand dust rose from the desert as her back hit the ground and air was forced out of Maka's lungs.

`It hurts...` She thought while gritting her teeth. Blood poured out.

Death god was long since perished, leaving the world with only his son. Shibusen´s defense line had not been broken by the witches and so the people in the city were safe. That´s only if you were _in_ the city. Only inside may you be protected by Shinigami but she went out. She dashed out when she saw him at the borders of the city.

Something must have went unnoticed if there was no ambush waiting for him. In his embrace he held blue balls that seemed to move and gleam. Maka had absolutely no idea why Shibusen's detectors hadn't gone off when people were killed again or why the huge cloud of insanity wasn't raising the alarm, forcing everyone to their homes and just to be sure, swallow the insanity resistance pills like a good citizen should.

"ASURA!" She shouted. It was a wet and dark desert that only contained darkness, he, Death City and her. Maybe Maka shouldn't have been thinking like the voices in her head that said,

_Completely closed space..._

He turned his head and moved his scarves out from his face. He smiled when he realized who it was that had screamed. She had stepped out from protection. He raised one soul to his mouth and swallowed it.

"Good evening. It´s you if I´m not mistaken?" Asura said calmly but something in the tone that he was using vexed her off. But his smile showed that he was mocking her. Oh how she wanted this man to perish. She wanted him to die, because god knows how many innocent lives had he ended just for his never ending hunger. The hunger for power that started over 800 years ago...

"You always come when I'm near." he showed a charming smile."Have you come to _kill me _again?"

She sneered, "But of course. as long as you walk on this earth I can´t have peaceful dreams."

He stared her again. Face monotone as in pondering something about the little and skinny girl. Red eyes bore into the green and Maka shivered. It wasn't out of fear she assured herself but Asura knew otherwise.

"Do you want one?" Asura asked and raised his head again and took one of the souls scattered on the ground to his palm and extended it.. There was a nerve wrecking silence as she watched him in disbelief.

"Of course I don´t!"

"Well have you come to offer me your soul then?"

"Shut up!" and she dashed towards him. Maka must get him away from the city as soon as possible, that's what repeated in her head and it sounded like her voice. If she could, she would've smiled at the irony of the situation.

Flashback:

_"Maka, where are you going?" Soul asked with a concern in his voice. He was sitting on an armchair in the living room that had a clear view to the lobby. Maka was putting her shoes on and since they had already shopped for food, Soul guessed it wasn't for to buy anything._

_"Nowhere." Maka answered, got up and was about to open their apartment´s door when she suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. She turned to see Soul. He sighed and let go, she stared him a while, then she opened the door and went out. The silent message had gone through and Soul understood that she needed to do this. Do something alone._

_Soul went over to the window that had a clear view to the streets. He heard door's closing sound and within a moment the girl was walking there. Soul was regretting the thing that humans weren't capable of reading thoughts but now he couldn't have wished for more than that. But we must thank god that he didn't have that skill for Maka's thoughts were a mess even if her outer appearance showed something else. Maka continued to wander farther away from the apartment._

_She had sensed him. Even though the crimson wavelength was small and obviously had a protection on it, it was still, as clear as day who it was. She looked forward with half lidded eyes and tried to feel where where he was._

_"Come home before the nightfall!" Soul shouted from the window that was now open. She turned her head to look and stopped walking. Soul stared her. The autumn leaves were colored brightly and fell from their trees to the ground, which was painted in many colors and shades of orange, brown, yellow and red. _

_For soul it was like a pool of blood was under Maka's lithe form._

_A sudden strong wind came and caused the leaves fly and block Soul´s view for a second. He had to draw back a little so that the window wouldn't smash against his head and some of the leaves got inside. The moment it calmed, he looked again to the spot that she should have stood but the girl was gone._

End of flashback.

"Leave this city!"

"Heaven's don't hear you at all." Asura taunted again while keeping a fake surprised face on. Her fist hit the ground again. She raised her head to shout something when she realized that he was now out. A sudden feeling called security washed over, although Maka had absolutely no idea at all. She could've sworn she heard the movements of black garment for a second when she wasn't paying attention. Maka didn't know how to acknowledge the feeling that was for her enemy that said, he must be safe! Words like, God now he´s out, now we can fight seriously (no way without Soul), and good, now no one can touch him. but the last part was so tiny that it went unnoticed.

"And now that I´m out, what do you do?" he asked. It seems like the enemy too noticed the fact that it was already safe and the calculating glance he sent her showed nervousness over the fact. It seemed like he doubted her too.

"It´s just fair for you to come out as well." He said, pointing to Maka who was standing next to the trash bin, inside the soul. Asura sent a scarf that grabbed her ankle and threw her towards the desert. A loud `thud` was heard. The sand whirled and she was facing the ground. That definitely broke some bones.

"You asshole..." she managed to curse as she used both of her hands to get into a sitting position at least.

"Please stay on the ground." he said mockingly and frowned. Another scarf hit her back, and she was facing the sand again. Blood spilled from her mouth and sand went into her eyes ears, and nose and it was overly unpleasant experience. Asura, after hitting her at least 10 times, stopped and started walking towards her. She didn't move. He took another step and another until he was standing in front of her.

She didn't see a thing. Maybe it was that the sand had gotten into her eyes or then the pain made her keep her eyes shut.

_It hurts..._

She could feel that he was standing right in front of her. Maka moved her hands up to see if she could get up. Slowly but surely her hands made their way and she started rising. She fell. Maybe her ribs were broken. Thankfully, these wounds and bruises would not remain. her marvelous ability in healing quickly made sure of that.

"You're hurt and you're broken. What to do?" Asura queried.

"..I...w..."

"You do what?" he said and used one of his scarves to go around her hips and lifted her to the air, but only to chest level.

"Say..." Asura took a hold of her pigtails and raised her head up, "what will you?" She was scowling up at him. he was sneering down at her.

"You do nothing because you cannot do a thing and you cannot escape from this fact girl. It is not within your power, especially without your weapon, for you to come to me and say that you're going to kill. Is it the fear or madness that urges you to do this because it definitely isn't your courage. "

She coughed twice and glared him behind her forelock. Oh yes, she had tried to speak to this man about courage but he had just laughed and said it was none of his business and that that kind of thing, that kind of pathetic thing wouldn't last and had laughed at the fact of them being the total opposites.

He tightened his scarf around her waist and let go of her pigtails. She was awake and had enough strength to keep her head up. Maka took all of him in with her eyes and analyzed the facts and the body, trying to find an opening, trying to find an escape but the rustling sound of fabric in her ears was so strong...

"But I will." She sneered."I will kill you and let this world get its longed peace."

Asura pressed his forehead against hers so that their noses brushed together. He was now only smirking little. Taunting to be exact but Maka couldn't help but feel the body temperature. He was so cold. Like frost was all over his skin. Like a walking corpse.

"I would love to know how you're going to do that. I would guess that you just make a team with that pathetic group of yours,what was its name? Spartoi?" Asura whispered and the breath almost husked Maka's face with it's warmness.

"I will not! I will not use anyone else but myself and my weapon if needed!" She shouted to him. He leaned back, the place where he had touched her with his forehead was losing its warmth and the cold night winds made her skin get goose bumps but she had clothes to hide them. Except they were visible on her legs.

Asura´s eyes regained their mad gleam and they widened as if being excited. "Well then why don't you start looking for me now. Start searching and I can guarantee that even if you go to the ends of this earth, you will not get me."

"Yes I will!" She shouted again and he dropped her to the ground. Asura's smile was stolen from Cheshire cat clearly as he was amused.

"Well then...Good bye and Good night."

He disappeared just like a mirror breaks its surface.

She was left there, standing alone and her broken ribs hurt. The moon´s laughing figure and the blood that was coming out from its mouth seemed to hit the ground and create an illusion that was a never ending dream on that night. She started walking towards Shibusen but could still hear the cooing words in her mind, unaware of the events they would bring even though the owner would change.

_But I´ll always find you._

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GAH! This is the third time of me rewriting this chapter. Actually, I posted this thing in quizilla but then it just became so messed up that ugh...I don´t even wanna speak about it. I just don´t get that place. Reviews please!

If you're wondering about the skip of places, first Asura was sitting AT THE BORDERS of Death City, then came the flashback, then fight and only then did Maka finally get him out of Kid's soul borders.

**Note: the first chapter has now been Beta'ed!**


	2. little girl and her madness blank out

**Beta: Otherguy14**

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this_

**Bold= shouting angrily or anything...-_-**

Chapter.2

Little Girl

_Even if insanity could fly to the skies, it would never disappear._

Maka was lying on her bed. She stared the white ceiling of her own room and was sulking, from the little fight, that happened yesterday, she had few bruises and broken arm. Again she had lost. Lost her self confidence that she would be able to beat him. Again. For HOW many times had this happened? At least five. This was getting on her nerves. Something about him made her feel that , If I can´t fight this man or to be even an equal, I would be ruin.

Yes. Ruined by the laws that she herself had made for herself. Ruined by the fact that...She would be weaker..and then..there was something else that made her go to him. So unexplainable that she had found herself thinking that maybe she shouldn´t go. Regardless this, she always went. Now she was in her bed, woken up about half of an hour earlier. Now she found herself thinking these kind of things again. Soul was awake too. He had wanted to sleep with her since when Maka came home yesterday night, she didn't even want to start explaining how she had gotten few broken bones, ribs and bruises and the blood. Soul was so worried and asked millions of question that she could answer only half.

"_What the hell happened!" Soul shouted and rose up from the armchair that he was sitting on and reading a book, his face looked really shocked. Maka gave him a little smile._

"_It's okay! These heal over night so don't worry!" Maka answered cheerfully and swayed her hand up and down, only to be stopped by the pain. Soul became even more worried when seeing Maka's pained expression._

"_No seriously." Soul stared Maka's arm that just stopped moving."We gotta do something. Wait a second! I'll go and get Dr. Stein!"_

_Maka tried to convince Soul that it wasn't a big deal but Soul didn't care what his meister said. Having a broken arm is big deal, so he stormed out of their apartment. Maka hoped that he didn't wake anyone up with his loud steps. She sighed._

_Couple of minutes later their door opened again and Maka, who was now laying on the sofa, noticed that the professor really had came. _

"_Maka what happened?" Dr. Stein asked while trying to put a cast to her arm. He stared the arm for a while. It was fractured in various places. That wouldn't heal for a while._

"_It was just a little fight. Nothing more." She pouted. Soul furrowed his eye brows and Maka noticed that. "What?" she asked._

"_Who were you fighting against." Stein asked again, just to avoid the fight that would have started between two youngsters. He raised Maka's shirt up a little to see nasty blue spots. Definitely something was broken. Maka smirked a bit after answering, "Asura."_

_Stein froze and Soul stared her in utter shock."What?" Soul asked as his voice too was kinda dry. The fact that Maka was smiling when speaking about how she got beaten wasn't helping at all._

"_Yeah..I kinda sensed his wavelength when I was going to go outside this evening, so I went after him. And I got beaten up." Maka scratched the back of her head as if being ashamed. Stein's face looked monotone and he was already ready patching her up. That was fast. _

"_Maka. Does this hurt?" He asked and patted his hand to her ribs. She gave an awfully pained face. Stein sighed."You see this is why we work in teams." and left after putting his shoes back to his feet leaving Maka there to hold her side. `That damn sadist!` she cursed in her mind._

"_So what are we-" Maka didn't actually have time to finish the sentence since Soul suddenly was carrying her in bridal style to her bed. Maka, not being able to say anything, just stared the ceiling of her room, only to notice Soul coming in and closing the door. He had a pillow and blanket with him._

"_Who gave you the permission to sleep with me?"She asked. _

"_I sleep on the floor." Soul said and made a bed right next to Maka's own. _

_**The end of flashback**_

"Maka, what are you sulking for?" Soul asked. He was staring Maka from her frog view. Maka looked at Soul like she would already know the answer to the question about to be asked but still decided to.

"You know Soul...If there was a one guy who you wanted to beat but couldn't, what would you do?"

"Next time you want to beat him, take me with you." Soul said promptly. He was not happy that Maka had all those injuries.

"I promise..." She answered, but was not so sure that she would be able to keep it.. Soul clearly didn´t know how to answer. " I'll go and make the breakfast. Any wishes?"Maka asked while slowly coming out from her bed.

"No. make what you want."

When Maka was out of the bedroom Soul went back to the laying down position. "So she´s getting herself in trouble..." `That´s too obvious Maka.`

Maka was making breakfast in the kitchen. She wasn´t in the most sunny mood so today's meals would not be gorgeous. In fact it was a miracle that she did not put a plate of bread and a glass of water on the table and say, Eat. But just how many times did this one make.

"Why does he always win..."- she said and cursed. Cursed that the little bird had again told her in her dreams that, no matter what she does, she would never kill him. It had also said things that were too blurry to hear. ` I don´t have to be all depressed about it. There will come time that I show him.` after few moments of silence and cooking she finally shouted, "SOUL! BREAKFAST IS READY!" She had noticed that people were giving her worried looks for her staring out of the window in the lesson, or just spacing out, which was something that she usually wouldn´t do. The least she could do was to make it so that the others didn´t need to worry about her.

**At Shibusen:**

One of the " the fire never goes off" candles had broken. Black Star and Kid were at it again. Other places had been broken too. Really... Kid was mature when he wanted to be but now, He was just a plain 10 year old kid that had been bullied.

"I´ll TELL YOU THAT, THAT IS NOT SYMMETRICAL! IF ONE OF THE CANDLES FALLS OFF IT CEASES TO BE A PERFECT CANDLE TRIO!" Kid shouted while shooting the dodging Black Star with Thompson sisters. He looked absolutely furious.

"AND I´ll TELL YOU THAT IT WAS DESTINATED TO FALL OFF BY THE GREAT ME! THE ONE WHO SURPASSES THE GOD IS ME, SO THE OTHERS MUST MAKE SACRIFICES!" Black Star shouted back while grinning and dodging. Maka stared the school. It would break at this rate.

"THE DAMN CANDLE WAS SINLESS!"

…...

While the two of them continued, Maka was standing just at the end of the staircase that lead to the school yard. `Now what in the world is this situation.` she thought while dodging the flying pieces of rock that came flying straight to her. She wouldn't want that, her injuries would get worse.

"Soul, what is this situation?" She asked now but out loud.

"I think they are fighting over the candles." Soul answered as he too looked at the two fighting figures and he too dodged few big stones that were probably from the ground. Maka spotted Tsubaki in front of the front doors. She looked troubled. Maka ran to her through the chaos and jumped when ever there would be a dangerous object coming to her way.

"Tsubaki, what is wrong with those two?"she asked a little irritated.

"ah, Maka. um...yes..This time it was completely Black Stars fault. Don´t blame Kid."she answered, still looking troubled.

"I see..." Maka said. Then Tsubaki noticed her injuries too. She started asking all sort of questions too before was stopped by Soul when the scythe weapon said "She fell down from the stairs." It started to rain. The Three of them (soul, Maka, Tsubaki) went inside the school building leaving Black Star and Kid fighting outside until they too noticed that it was raining that they better had to stop the fight for now.

_``Little girl, little girl. Fly higher fly higher than anyone else. Little girl sing the songs that I love...`` _it was that song again, Maka thought as she looked around. She was dizzy. _``Little bird, little bird. You who has wings. Be beautiful and gorgeous.``_

"Maka are you alright?" Soul asked. She could see how his face was filled with worry. Alright? Who was alright? She? Oh god she felt dizzy...

"Maka, do you hear me?"

"_**Little girl do you hear me..."**_

Makas eyes snapped open. She had almost fallen asleep while walking.

But that was not the reason for the sudden shock. It was that voice again. The voice she hears in her dreams. It was the exactly the same voice that always spoke so softly. No. Not softly. It was deceiving. It always felt like she was being pulled in for those words. She didn´t like the voice that she heard. It was never a good sign to hear voices. She would go to the infirmary to ask a few sleeping pills. She was tired.

But this was only a second time she had seen that dream clearly.. The first one was...the second time she lost to **him**_**. **_First she tried to think it as a some kind of an omen, but when she started to hallucinate about birds that didn´t exist or a really blurry image of someone she knew. It was just a feeling that she knew. She often just stood in the dream with nothing but white. She was wearing her spartoi clothes, and she tried to watch. But every time it ended in failure because she ended up being so dizzy that she fell. The contempt the dizzy image showed was annoying. The school bell rang and the first class would start, but It still rained outside.

They were speaking about how to defend the school again. Since Lord Death was not here anymore to protect them, they would have to do something about it themselves. every time someone asked anything about Maka's injuries, Soul just said that she had tripped or fell down the stairs. Maka noticed that she wasn't listening the teaching anymore.

_drip,drip,drip_

She felt relaxed, as the rain droplets crushed on the ceiling. The first period went faster than she thought, and the next time she was aware of her surroundings again, it was already the third. She was standing next to Soul and was eating something in the cafeteria.

_Drip, drop,drip, drop_

She felt as in thought she would fall a sleep.

_Drip,drip,drip...(the sound was getting louder and harder.)_

She really loved the rain. It hides things. It protects things. It washes the pain away...

"Maka the classes are over."Soul said.

"hm?" Maka turned her head, because she hadn´t heard what soul had said.

"I said that the classes are over." Soul repeated a little louder this time.

"Oh...well we have to go then."she answered

They were the last ones in the classroom. Somehow that was a little comforting for Maka. She stood up and packed her books and they walked out of classroom. It was quiet when they walked in the corridors of the school. Somehow, yet again, Soul didn´t like the atmosphere. Soul´s eyes wandered off to the ground.

"I´m going to look if there are any new missions on the mission board." Maka said out of blue. Soul was a bit surprised. The recent Maka seemed so sleepy that she would fall a sleep during the class. He didn´t answer, just followed the girl to the mission board. She stared it a while then reach for the piece of paper that was higher than the other papers. That was a sign that it would be a difficult one.

"Maka I think you should take it easy. I mean that´s not the best one to take." Soul sounded worried.

"It´s alright. We are in the Spartoi and you´re a Death Scythe now. We´ll be alright."she said happily.

"yeah, but..." Soul was being persistent.

"What are you so worried about. Look it´s not like anything´s going to happen now is there-"

"_Hello there."_ Someone asked. Maka's eyes widened when she recognized the voice. A blurry image appeared and it was grinning. Black hair locks... The paper she was holding was emitting waves. Like when you throw a rock in to a pool. And there was that voice again...

"_It's not safe for you to go there_." She even saw how that someone was floating in pure blackness, but she didn't see the face. That little madness that everyone had in their hearts...

"_If you have nothing better to do, then sing little girl. Sing to this nameless being._" And then it chuckled. Then everything went blank.

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AN: Alright! NOW I´m feeling sick. I feel like I have caught a flu or something...

Ugh... I´ll try to make the chapters longer...and sorry about the fact that this one was almost only about Maka. I´m having troubles thanks for mom´s Internet Explorer….

reviews please. What should I improve.

**Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed!**


	3. nurses and mission and wake over

**Beta: Otherguy14**

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks_

**Bold= shouting angrily **

**-:-= (I might be too lazy to repeat one word so I´ll use this to replace it.)**

**A/N: Almost no Asura in this chapter neither. I´ll put it so that he´ll have showtime in the next chapter.**

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Chapter.3. Nurses and Missions and wake over

She was tired, very very tired and she wanted to sleep...wait...wasn't she already sleeping? sleeping she should have been. No,no, no. She couldn't be now could she. If she recalled it correctly, she was standing in front of the mission board with Soul, and there was that voice again and... Oh damn god, she passed out didn't she. And she did it when Soul was standing right next to her. Damn, this was embarrassing. Maka slowly opened her eyes, hoping to find herself in her own bed or in their apartment. But recently, nothing went according to plans. She found herself floating in the middle of nowhere. It was dark. Black, if accurate. This had happened before hadn't this? When she tried to find Chrona's soul in that black madness...or was it the side world just before Chrona´s own little world? And then there was the second time too. Not being able to come out of the madness herself, Soul had pulled her up. But now...There were no signs of Soul's soul or anyone's soul. Just pure Blackness. Is this madness?` Maka thought, the sleepiness she had was gone. It was not possible to float and sleep at the same time in the real world, but here you could do it. She looked around and verified that she was alone. So she closed her eyes, and tried to rest a little. Maybe she was sleeping in reality.

She tried to sleep in someplace that she had no knowledge of. She really tried, but she was too curious. Maka opened her eyes again and looked around. `Could I move around?`she thought. Maka tried and succeeded. She rose to her feet, but there was no foothold or floor so she had to walk in the air, which would have no difficulties because the dimension itself was nowhere near normal. She staggered and tried to walk properly but couldn't. Maka was kinda curious and a little bored, so she sang some song that had played in the radio for past few days:

_She sung a song, a song that was from her head, yes just from her head. She was stared and stalked until the poor victim died down. The last vision she saw was those two little humans, or maybe the other one´s a god, the girl didn´t know, so she dies down._

She stopped. Weird. Usually Soul would have shut her up. Maka took few dance steps. She took few more and she spun. It was handy. This dimension itself was nice...Just a little cold.

`Would I be able to see my own soul.` This was something she wanted to do. She stood and placed her right hand to her right side and left hand to her left. Then she moved them towards her chest and kept them there. Maka´s eyes were closed. She didn´t have a smile on her lips. Then there was a astounding glitter. Bending her back, the girl's soul was coming out as her hands moved towards the darkness, and then. Slowly her hands were on the both sides of her own soul. Her Grigori soul. She slowly opened her eyes until her eyelids were half closed. Indeed She was tired. Her soul had beautiful wings and the shone brightly. She smiled. She was happy.

"**Y****ou shouldn´t do that little girl."**

Maka glanced over but saw nothing. Her eyes were now fully open and she kept her soul close to her chest . "Is there someone?"she finally said. She heard footsteps coming closer. From which direction? She was a little nervous abut what would come. Maka squeezed her soul tighter. She felt hands block her view.

There was one move of a hand, Maka falling before she knew it, and she almost saw the face of the one who did it.

* * *

"...lright...aka...i..."

She was sleeping again wasn't she? This happened too often...

"Maka...e..ou..ht...lis...Maka!"

That someone who was trying to wake her up was annoying her.

"WAKE UP MAKA!"

Her eyes snapped open out of pure frustration and she punched the who ever was being so noisy.

**"SHUT UP! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP HERE!"**She shouted.

There was a sound of someone flying straight in to a wall and then there was a sound of something falling from the sideboard and a loud scream.

"Ugh..." someone was in pain. "damn you..."in a really big pain.

"Damn me? Well damn you! I was in a good part!" Maka shouted irritated. She forgot that her other hand was in cast.

"Good part? I'll get a punch from you when I kindly carry you to the infirmary, while you dream of something, well guess a really damn good thing, at the same time?"

infirmary? wasn´t she supposed to be sleeping at the ground in front of the mission board? Maka slowly watched more carefully for who was she shouting to. She saw Blair, Spirit staring at her with amazement while spirit was surprised while eyes watery. And...Soul. Soul who was standing against the wall, while few bandages were hanging on his head and he was standing on a tens of pins and spikes while his hand being in front of his nose. Which by the way was bleeding. She really punched him that hard? Maka stared at Soul while standing on the infirmary bed. Then her face went in to a frown. A really big frown and then she snarled.

"Che. Just Soul..."then she went back to the sleeping position in the bed and sulked in there. `Maybe I´ll be able to continue at the part where I left.`She thought still frowning and snarling.

All three quests just stared. Spirit was just making a new watery face while trying to hug Maka but was rejected by a good and hard elbow blow.

"Makaaaaa! I know I can't make you feel better but if there's something that you want to talk about just me and you, then Say! Papa will always have time for my darling little girl." Spirit said while crying. Was it really a that big shock to find that your daughter has collapsed from a lack of sleep?

"Maka, do you feel fine?"Blair asked.

"Oh, yes. I am perfectly healthy. Just a little tired." she said with a cheerful tone. That kind of act made Soul frown. Of course she wasn´t alright. Why couldn´t they see it?

"I don´t think that it´s just a lack of sleep. There´s something bothering you isn´t there Maka?" Soul asked. He was being careful to not angry her again.

"Soul, I´m really alright. Sorry to make you worry but seriously. I´m alright. See?" She answered while waving her hand back and forth. Then she remembered what she had to do when the school had ended. She needed the sleeping pills.

"Is the community health nurse still here? I need to ask her a few things." She finally asked.

"No. She left already. We had her check you but she said that you were fine so she left. Why? Was it something important?" Soul answered. Maka looked at Soul and signed. She really would have needed those sleeping pills. Well...she could try and make something to drink tonight. Pills were not the best choice to conquer the sleeping problems.

"Soul, what time is it?" Maka asked.

"Huh? It's half past six. See." Soul said and showed his clock to Maka. It was late. School had ended, let´s see...about four hours and 10 minutes ago. Curse the god for making her pass out. And she hadn't done her homework yet neither. Well, the ones in Spartoi didn't have much school due the missions, but...

"I´m going home." she said firmly and got out of the infirmary bed and dashed out.

"Wait! Maka! You aren't in the most best condition! Maka!" Soul tried to shout after her but it was in vain. The girl had already run far from the infirmary. Soul expected for her to go home so he didn't worry too much, but something was bugging him.

And for Maka who should have gone home was running to that direction where she fell asleep. She was going to the mission board. Down the stairs that led there and past the corner of halls. **MISSION BOARD, **was written with big alphabets so it was easy to notice, and she went there often so no problems in getting there. `I just wanna take the piece of paper that I dropped...`she thought while running. Finally reaching her destination. She looked up, gasped a little, but looked up to the mission board. The main idea was that maybe Soul had put it back to the board with a pin. High, Higher, the highest. Nowhere. It's wasn't with the lower ranked missions neither. Nor with the special ones. Maybe Soul hadn't picked it up maybe he hadn't even noticed the whole piece of paper. So if that´s what happened, then it would be on the ground. She looked around. Searched for the whole Mission Board area. No suspicious looking paper found. She was annoyed. That paper would have been her next mission and...it was radiating waves...and then it was that voice again. Alluring and then...unexplainable. The moment she had taken that paper, nothing had happened but after few minutes, those things that were listed and then...and then what? Her soul had almost pleaded to go. Usually that didn´t happen. But just after collapsing, she found herself thinking of Asura. Again. It had became a routine. Maka sighed and looked disappointed.

"Guess, I´ll head home."

* * *

Maka walked along with the streets of Death City. Her Spartoi coat hanging in the air and tossed around with the wind. Her long pigtails were dancing with the wind too. She stopped and looked up to the laughing moon. The moon was always laughing. When people died, it laughed, when Shinigami perished, it laughed. Maka wondered that would the moon laugh then too when she would die. She wondered was the moon ever sad or did it do anything else than laughed. Laughed while it grinned. Grinned while blood was coming out of its own mouth. She would never be able to laugh like that. She would be sad when people, important to her, would die. She was sad when the Shinigami was no longer. But she thought like this:

`I would be sad, very very sad. I would cry, oh yes I would cry. I would scream to the moon, scream with all of my voice until it no longer would be there. Why did you take them away? So young they were. Why Did you kill them so brutally? So innocent they were. ` So she would thought. Then she said:

" All of this, is the Demon god´s fault. I´ll kill the threat, that´s how I was taught." and so she sang,

"_Lonely night, so dark, so black. The brightest grin, belongs to moon, its moon´s. Why does the Moon grin, why does the moon laugh? Always grins always laughs, while spitting up its own blood. The second demon would be the moon, in these secret walls, the lovers sing a song. They sung, they sung, and how much fun they had, they had. They didn´t care, the moon didn´t care. But because they didn´t care, really soon there was a Grim Reaper at their door. The death knocks. The lovers __are afraid. The moon laughs, blood spills, how much fun did the demon have?"_

Maka sung until she reached the bus station. She stopped just under the last tree. Soul was watching from the window. Her technician walked and smiled. He was worried.

She sang the all the way back to their apartment but soul didn´t hear. He wouldn´t be able to hear such a beautiful verse that she sung with her soul, but the ogre inside the Soul heard and knew. Knew what was to come. The girl would leave soon enough. Amusing story indeed.

* * *

Wow...My longest chapter. It was fun to write this. Really fun. I'll try to write longer. Oh, and if you wonder about the mission. Don´t worry the paper is not lost. It´s closer than you think. Next one will be 5-7 pages long. And I know Maka's singing voice is absolutely horrible so let's just say her soul sang if that makes it any more tolerable...

Reviews please.

**Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed!**


	4. Dream scape

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks_

**Bold= shouting angrily **

**-:-= (I might be too lazy to repeat one word so I´ll use this to replace it.)**

**note: In Maka´s dream she wears her Spartoi clothes**

Chapter 4. Dream scape

_And it was like reading past the lines, like drinking coffee_

Maka was sitting on the kitchen chair and drinking milk and eating some food that Soul had made, and was being watched by the one who was kind enough to make all the food on the table. Soul was staring. Staring really attentively but Maka just ate. Ate while her eyes being weeks ago he had seen her dancing on the street, and her mouth opened at some times. She was becoming more tired, she was spacing out more than usually. She ate less too. The good thing was that she didn't need her cast anymore. Soul wondered if she was stressed. She would stay up more later even when she was tired.

"Is there something on my face?"Maka asked while eating. Soul was snapped out from his toughs and looked a bit nervous.

"Oh,no, no, no...it´s just..."how should he put it..."It seems like you really have something in your mind after all" he said while looking more serious. He would make Maka tell him her secrets, but

Maka just ate. It was almost like she didn´t even listen to Soul´s talking. This fact was becoming annoying for him.

"CUT IT OUT WILL YOU! I KNOW THAT THERE´S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU! EVEN IF THEY WON´T SEE IT, I SEE IT TOO CLEARLY!**"**he shouted really angrily. God if the girl would lie again...

"Soul.."Maka put her dishes away, piled them upon each others and got up from the chair. She looked at Soul and said, "There´s nothing to worry about." then she smiled a little smile and walked to the kitchen sink. She put her plates and glass in there and began to wash them. Soul was shrieking inside of his mind.

**Inside Soul´s soul: **

`She´s clearly being troubled by something. Damn it. I´m her weapon but I can´t do anything...` Soul thought furiously while he sat down to the expensive looking chair in the corner of the black room.

"**Now, now. Soul you shouldn´t be in that kind of an rush..." **the little ogre inside Soul giggled. It was snapping it's fingers with some off beat music that ran in the background.

"You shut up You don´t know anything..."Soul spat and glared the red ogre who kept twisting its legs as if trying to dance.

" **And you know even less." **the ogre answered, sounding quite bored if not even a bit disappointed with its master. A slight ear ringing laugh escaped from the lipless mouth.

"What's so damn funny!" Soul shouted. He was already agitated.

"**Soul think about. How much do you actually know about your meister. If you don't pay attention, she's going to be taken away by the maker of madness."** Ogre was giggling louder.

Soul´s heart skipped its beat. Taken away? Why...by who? Maker of madness?

"What?...Hey you damn demon what´s the meaning of this!" Soul shouted. When he got no answer he noticed that the ogre was gone. Soul was left there in his mind, alone thinking really confusing stuff. Now he was getting really worried.

* * *

Maka was washing the dishes. She was almost ready when she felt something. She turned her head and looked around. Soul was nowhere.`Maybe he went to sleep?` She though. She hadn't seen Blair neither since the evening. Now the clock was already fifteen minutes past eleven.

She should hurry with the dishes. But Soul was right. She had something in her mind. It was just that she couldn't tell about. She shouldn't, wouldn't and couldn't. When she was ready she turned the tap off and placed the clean plates and the glass in the cupboard. Maka hadn´t gotten her homework done, so she decided to do it. Tomorrow was a weekend but...she had a feeling that she would leave. Somewhere far where she would be. A long time.

`Not that it´s real..`she though and playfully hit herself in the head**.** Maka looked around for Soul but couldn't find him. "Maybe he went out?" She though out loud.

Maka went to her bedroom and sat on the chair that was in front of the work desk. She then put a huge pile of books on the table and started doing the homework each professor had given the class.

"_**Then, the girl over there, please cry. Wear a beautiful dress, piece by piece you trust more, Elegant music box is playing a melody that a child created..."**_

She stopped writing. The voice was there again.

"_**It´s not working. The box broke, the singing voice still in the head..."**_

It sung a song. A silly song about a music box. Maka listened.

"_**Truly a mysterious and a silly box indeed..."**_

She fell asleep again.

* * *

In Maka´s Dream:

She had fallen asleep after listening that voice´s song for few minutes. `I really should have taken those pills. Damn it.´ Maka opened her eyes and was surprised. She wasn´t there where she usually was. Floating in nowhere in particular. This dream was not black, filled with freedom or a really strange feeling. She looked around. She was lying down on a field. A green field that had a really few runty trees that some held one or two mandarins. There was a basket under one tree.

"Should I pick the mandarins? "she asked herself. Maka got up and walked where she had spotted the basket. It was made of straws. She picked it up and stared it. The sky was blue. Few little clouds here and there.

…...few moments...

"Should I eat these?" she asked herself. Again. Maka stared the basket. Full of mandarins. She had picked all the ones that were close. The dimension itself was at the first though a little creepy for a girl who was used to be in a pitch black dimension. In here you couldn´t fly. In the black one you could at least float around. Maka looked around. There was absolutely nothing else than mandarin trees (that were runty) and green grass. Lush of nature, really...

There was no sun neither, which was a little strange since the sky was blue and it was bright. There was no logic. There couldn´t be a blue sky if there was no sun. There couldn´t be trees or mandarins if there was no sun. `April fools?`-she though. Again. Maka decided to not eat the mandarins now and started walking around. She walked and she walked. She looked up to see any kinds of sun light rays but no. Just blue sky and clouds, here and there. She was tired when she had walked_ a little while_. A little. Yeah. She smirked in sarcastic way. It felt like she had walked for at least five hours. Her legs were all numb after walking all that trip. But the most strangest thing was that it looked like she hadn´t moved at all. Same trees and grass everywhere. Same sky. Nothing changed at all. Could this be that "Hallucination" or some kind of an "delusion".She still had the mandarins though. Her stomach grumbled. `So DAMN hungry...`-she though...

Maka sat under one mandarin tree and peeled one mandarin. She ate. There were 15 mandarins in the basket. She had counted them carefully.

There was a little wind. That made few pieces of grass fly around.

Maka sat under a mandarin tree and peeled another one. There were 14 more to go.

There was no water neither. There was absolutely no way that there would be trees that didn´t need water. Everything needed water.

She peeled yet another one. 13 more to go.

Then there were neither bees or bugs. No chances for trees to grow.

She ate yet another.

Everything was weird. No humans. No animals.

Eleven to the end.11.

Why in the first place had she ended up in here?

She ate.

"_**You don´t like it in here do you?"**_

Maka looked up to the sky. She was accustomed to the voice by now.

" Of course I don´t!"She shouted to the sky. "This is your doing isn´t this?"She asked.

"_**No."**_

"What? You don´t mean I dreamed myself in here? You gotta be kidding me. I was supposed to be in that Black dimension. Not this..."She had to shout so that the sky would hear. She was actually quite disappointed that it wasn't the usual blackness that was around her.

"_**This is your creation. You´re the architect, that made this place."**_

"When? When in the world did I create something like this!"she was irritated.

"_**Don´t worry. You won´t realize when you create something."**_

" What am I? A god? A meister? A girl? To you what am I? You talk just when I wish there to be quiet!"she was angry.

"_**You learn to like this place soon."**_

"like? this place?" Maka scoffed.

_Ba-dump_

Then there was a loud heartbeat and she looked as if she was in pain. Maka´s eyes were wide and she clutched her chest. She hurt. Hurt like her heart was being carved out from her chest. She screamed and clutched her chest. Mandarin fell to the clutched her teeth together.

_Ba-dump. _Another heart beat.

She fell on the grass, and looked like she had an screamed yet again.

There were hands on the ground. Black and tainted hands. And eyes were everywhere. Was this madness? There were hands that choked her, eyes that stared straight in to the deepest parts of your soul. She was in pain and she feared. What would happen? The hands got a hold of her legs and pulled her down. It seemed like the gravity went up by a hundreds of times more than it was when she got here. She was being smashed to the ground. Hands pulled her legs down and her own hands were clutching her chest. It hurt. The ground went black again. There was deep darkness right under her. Madness. Her soul screamed: _"He´s here, he´s here!"_ She creamed yet again.

Her voice was becoming raspy. Then suddenly, the hands that were choking her, the tainted black hands that were choking her, fondled her face. The horrible gravitation was gone and placed by a far more horrible feeling. The air was making her stand on her own feet. It hurt. Her legs were already numb.

"Stop...it...*cough*...damn...stop it..."she was having hard time even when only speaking. The hands that were fondling her head, played with her. Wet fingers. No, they were all bloody. Sky was changing in to a black liquid. Few droplets fell to her cheek. She stared the sky, like she would be absorbed in to it.

"Black..Blood..."she said. Another wave of nausea. Feeling that would come always. She was tired. She wanted to close her eyes and sleep. Now she was calm. She hurt, but she didn´t scream. She looked up to the sky. The skin under her eyes was black. Those black hands were now on her lips. Fingertips touching her lips. It felt like they were trying to understand her, feel her. In some wicked way, she was sure they were. The Black blood from the sky fell to the ground and all around was black. Sky was creaking. The black liquid made a way to her feet and started climbing up. Her skin was probably cold.

"Must be uncomfortable to do that..."she whispered quietly. The black hands stopped a while and made their way to the ground. They took the Black liquid in their palms. They got a lot since the hands were big and the cup they madewith their hands was deep. At least to her it looked so deep that you could drown in to it. This was madness wasn´t this. The eyes were staring. Hands that were fondling and.. a pair of normal hands rose up to her face level and the cup that they had made was full of black blood. She looked at it. Maka stared at it. Wait...Was this ok. She was being swallowed by the madness! The hands on her back pushed her forward to the hands that were blue and were holding the black blood. Suddenly she recalled:

"_**Eat it."**_

The demon god had offered her a human soul. She didn´t want a soul. She didn't want blood.

"_**Then what do you want?"**_

After hearing that everything stopped. At least for her. That all too familiar voice was there.

"_**You want to eat souls."**_

No she didn´t. "You are there aren´t you...?" She asked. She didn´t see anything. She didn´t get her answer. Black hands that she recognized were gripping her hair at the back of her head, making her look to the other blue hand that were coming from nowhere.

"_**But I am right here. Can´t you see?"**_ It chuckled

Then she watched. Watched in horror as she saw that sick smile. A smile that a child would have when it would find something interesting. Interested in a new toy that the child got...

"So you are in my dream too? Hah. You just love to sabotage other peoples toughs now don´t you?"

She said with a sarcasm in her voice.

"_**You know this is my first time being in your dream. And I too, am just a hallucination that you created."**_

Right in front of her. Right under her nose. **He **was standing. Demon god.

"You just had to pick the worst time to come..."she said. Asura´s hands were in front of him, still holding the black blood.

"_**Drink it." **_he said.

No good. She was losing her consciousness. The only thing supporting her were those black hands. The hallucination of Asura looked at her. He smirked and said, " What´s this? No resistance? Very unlike of you. Usually you shout and fight and do all you can."

"That´s why I said you picked the worst time to come..." Maka was tired. Her legs were giving in, but yet she couldn´t fall. Asura´s hands were threatening close to her mouth. And as feared...

"_**If you´re that weak, I won´t have to put any effort in this."**_

That said, he used his scarves to open Maka´s mouth and with the hands that looked like they were full of offerings from saint, made her drink the liquid that was far more worse than a punishments that the church would be able to give. But the fault was in her too. She could have spitted it out. First thing that she despised was that she was forcefully drinking it. First she stared it with her eyes, that held pure tiredness in them. She wasn´t angry and she drank it. To the very end. Not even a drop was left. Secondary Her hands were holding Asura´s hands. To not let them go and to keep them there. She was willfully drinking it.

Asura didn´t do almost anything. Just stared. Stared the girl that was apparently willfully drinking the Black blood that he had in his hands. This fact amused him. The girl that was being so full of resistance in the real world, was quite obedient in this sick dream scape. Her hands were giving his hands support so that they wouldn´t fall and spill all the blood to the already darkened ground. He smirked. Then chuckled.

"_**You should be like this in the real world too."**_ he said with a happy voice, that belonged to a five years old child, in Maka´s opinion. Asura's being, now that she thought about it, felt very young. Not so threatening as it was in reality. Not so old and spent...

The hands didn´t hold anything anymore. She had drunk it all. But she hadn´t let go of Asura's hands. They were still getting their support from her hands. The sky was being cleared. Clouds were there again. The mandarin runty mandarin trees still there and...the never ending green field. A nice little breeze same by, making Maka´s Spartoi coat move with the wind.

"You´re outside too aren´t you?" She asked. Asura just looked up to the sky and then answered,

"_**Girl, in here, I am merely a hallucination made by you. And, yes I am. Right now, taking a nap in your bed." **_He grinned, one big and playful grin. Like a child would have, when satisfied with its toy. Maka looked up with a face that made Asura´s grin even wider. Then he disappeared, but not with a puff of smoke. Now it was like when, you rip paper to small parts and then fly them off from your window. He was gone. There were no longer hands in her grip.

End of Dream scape.

* * *

I decided to end this one here... It´s 5 pages long...BUT PEOPLE I JUST COULDN´T CONTINUE WHEN IT HAD THIS KIND AF AN ACT! IT´S A PERFECT START FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! anyway...reviews please. You don´t know how I cheer up after reading them. Critic is welcome too ...

**23.12.2010 Note: I can't believe I've written a chapter like this OTL**

**This chapter has been Beta'ed...**


	5. so lovely little streets

**Beta: Otherguy14**

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

FB=flashbacks

Chapter.5. So lovely little streets.

_They had Lilacs there and Crysantemums too. They smelled like you._

Maka closed her eyes and then opened them again. Asura was really gone. Or, the so called _hallucination _was gone. Still not sure about what had happened she looked around. Same illogical dimension with its runty trees. The basket was still under one tree. Empty. No wind was present, the clouds didn't move. She closed her eyes.

"I want to get out of here." she said calmly.

Then something was smashed. The dimension was crumbling, but she didn't. Her eyes closed, she felt that the air was becoming nonexistent. She heard how the sky creaked and screamed how it hurts. Her legs were almost under the madness that was right beneath her.. But she didn't care. Madness was taking over. Runty trees were drying up. Mandarins were becoming black marbles that looked like they were glass balls that held infinite and always changing colors of unpredictable wave of water. Just a little thicker. the feeling of emptiness was stuck in the air. It was becoming hard to breath. It could be heard. The sound of air getting in and out of her lungs. Desperately trying to get new air to breath but didn't. She felt that she would choke. Boundless green fields were disappearing and were replaced by nothing. Absolutely nothing. Black water started dripping out from the corners of that little box. Water consumed the place and left her there. Alone. Measureless situation. The impervious water pressure started to feel. It felt as if her body was being crushed in a more painful way than the humans could ever do in the real world. Alone in that black pit. Alone, while being crushed by the feeling that just above her, were all the world's ocean´s waters. Never did she open her eyes.

"_Good night little girl."_ echoed in that so illogical world as the last wish made by madness.

* * *

Soul gasped and woke up. He had been sleeping on the living room couch while talking to that demon. His heart raced and he was sweating. Never did the ogre´s words leave his mind.

**"Soul think about it. How much do you actually know about your meister. If you don't pay attention, she's going to be taken away by the maker of madness."** And then that picture of Maka being swallowed by water as she did nothing...

"Shit..."Soul placed his palm on her face and cursed there. "shit,shit,shit..." He could do nothing. Still laying on the couch He saw as a little light came from Maka´s room. But no sound. No sound of writing or flipping pages. Nothing at all. No shadows were forming in that little gap jut under her door, showing that the girl would be moving around.

**Tick, Tack, Tick, Tack ….**

All that Soul heard was the clock. A clock that showed that it was already past the day. Outside the wind could be heard occasionally. How the little leafs ramped to the window and made sounds. It was dark. Just that little light in that little girl´s room made it seem like: If I go there I'll be saved. Soul stood up and walked to Maka´s room´s door. Hands on his pockets he eyed the door´s handle.

**Tick,tack,Tick,Tack...**

Soul placed his right hand on the handle and turned it. He opened the door slowly to not make any grinding sounds, that the door usually made. As he opened the door, a little wind came unexpectedly to his face and brushed itself on his white hair. Soul stared the window. It was open. Maka was sleeping on her work desk while her desk lamp still on. At the first look, it looked like she had started to do her homework. Then he looked her bed. Someone had used it. The blanket was moved and the pillow was out of its place. `But Maka´s sleeping on her desk?` Soul though. Had someone came in without anyone noticing? He was sleeping, Maka was sleeping. Blair was, god knows where. Soul looked Maka with serious eyes.

"You´re getting yourself in trouble again." After that he lifted her up and putted her in her bed. He putted a blanket over her and turned the lamp off. Soul then went to the window. He looked to the streets but saw nothing. He bumped his head out and moved his hands to the window sill and looked more closely. Soul looked to right,left, down and up. No one was nowhere. It wasn´t safe. That´s the reason. Kid was the Shinigami, but not yet all that powerful as his dad, Shinigami-sama, had been. Soul´s eyes looked sad when he though Shinigami-sama. All powerful, yet kind. Not so strict, but fun. The one that the deathskytches were made for. Soul closed the window, not noticing one dark figure that was standing on one rooftop. Moonlight revealed its smile that could have belonged to that of a five years old child. It was just a little bit more twisted. Eyes not shown, caused by the black hair locks that covered them. One whisper was said but the wind easily carried it off. A whisper with no meaning, no real matter. That kind of whisper is hardly heard. The figure disappeared with few glowing lights in its hands. Blue souls. The wind carried its wish to the city, that did not hear. Night was not safe. That is why, Death city sleeps through the night.

"_Good night little girl." _echoed in that city for few moments, then it disappeared, as if nothing happened.

**Morning:**

The sun rays that came through the curtain and the lively sounds from the streets made Maka open her eyes. She stared the ceiling for few moments and after that she slowly got up from her bed and rubbed her eyes and then she yawned. She opened The curtain and let more sunlight come inside her small room. From the smell, Maka guessed that Soul was cooking. She looked down at the streets and welcomed the sight. People were everywhere. Bakers trying to get people buy their pastries or breads. Buskers were playing music that made the mood rise and drew pictures for the ones that asked. She felt wonderful. Maka came away from the window and stretched her arms. Then out of pure confidence she laid her eyes on her work desk. Her eyes opened in surprise for what she saw. On her desk there was one mandarin. One that still had its own leafs and a little stem, which showed that it was picked from the tree, and not bought from shops. Maka went over the lonely fruit and looked it. She then took it from where it was and started peeling it. `Soul must have put it there.` then she began to eat it. Maka opened her bedroom door and was greeted by wonderful smells. Much stronger than what they had been when she smelled them in her room. Still eating the mandarin she went to kitchen. Soul was making bacon.

The table was filled with food. One big salad scoop that was filled with salad. Bread had its own basket. Three different kinds of breads. Two big mugs that had hot chocolate in them. One really big plate that held eggs, bacon and slim pieces of ham. Either side had their own mugs, plates, and forks + knives. Serviettes were under the forks and knives and they were the ones that had Camellia patterns on them.

"Soul are we going to have a quest?" Maka asked with a clear surprise in her voice. Soul turned around.

"You woke up? Why a quest? Were you waiting someone?"

"No but...are you making this for us?"

Soul stared at Maka who for one, stared the table, while eating the last piece of mandarin.

"Maka~." Soul said in an awfully suspicious tone.

"What?" she backed away a bit.

"You haven´t been eating well."

"hah..." then she made, I can hardly believe him face.

"My meister is having problems and I cannot aid her..." Soul was swinging the frying pan around, which still had few bacon in it. From the rustle sound, which was coming from the pan Maka guessed that it was hot. She took another step back. "And at least I can make food for you." Soul added, trying to sound a little hurt.

This was becoming one of those harassing scenes from the soap operas that she sometimes, out of pure boredom, watched. Except this one was not dramatic crying like:" Josephine, Josephine!Because your father doesn´t acknowledge me as your boyfriend let´s run away, from all the, hell of an many reasons listed, negative things. A~nd, the story usually went as far as that until it reached the most ridiculous endings."Josephine,Josephine! We must kill your father to get our happiness...*and so on*. But this one was committed by a frying pan that was becoming dangerously close to her face.

"Soul! I get it..." Still having that hardly believing face.

"I eat it."

Soul putted the pan away and smiled. "Why, thank you."

* * *

Kid sighed and walked around, Shinigami´s own little execution room. Everything in the room had stayed the same even after the real Shinigami was not present. The large mirror was still standing ridiculously proud even when it didn´t have anything that owned black cloak and a skull mask in it. Kid was alone in that room and walked around. He bit his right hand´s thumb and cursed.

"Damn it all...why now..." It was stated that he was angry. Suddenly the mirror began to show signs that someone wanted to talk to him. Kid went over to the mirror and looked it.

"What is it?" He asked.

The mirror showed him a blurry picture that after sometime cleared. The one that "phoned" him was Stein.

"Yo. How do you do?" Stein asked while turning his big screw, that went through his head, around.

"It´s not how do you do. Do you have anything else to say?" Kid looked irritated (In humorous way) while still biting his thumb.

"At least I didn´t find anything suspicious...except …."

"Except?"

"Well you see. It´s terrible." Stein said. He was calm."This incident involved a whole village." He then stood aside and let Kid take a good look at the scenery behind him. As for Kid, he frowned and asked while sweat dropping. "How in the world is that not suspicious...?"

"Hm?, Ya said something?" Stein asked. He took a cigarette from the cigarette pack and put the pack back to his pocket. After lighting the cigarette he looked straight at Kid's face. The young god didn't seem to find the situation the village was in as humorous as he did.

"I asked, how in the world is that not suspicious? How come no one noticed this in the first place?"

Stein looked at the scenery too, "Indeed. It´s pretty funny. At least this is not Kishin. Maybe Noah."

"It´s CLEARLY Noah. Do not even doubt it." Kid seethed."That crazy bastard did it again."

As always. After Shinigami gone, Noah and his group have been really active. Noah, who possessed Eibon´s book,(The book of Eibon) did some really nasty experiments. Gopher had destroyed few villages, people´s souls were left there and not taken care of. Some of these doings were really cruel. Others were kinder. But now, that there was almost no one to stop all the evil guys out there, Noah was becoming Kid´s number one problem maker. One thing that, Kid was relieved to know was that the enemy didn´t have what it wanted the most: Kishin.

" A~nd?" Stein asked with extremely bored tune.

"What?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Clean that mess up. And...Restore the trees." Kid almost face palmed when watching the trees. Few of the trees were always infected by Noah´s black magic, so out of pure boredom, they usually danced, laughed, sang or just made everything more enjoyable for the ones that, usually Shibusen´s people, had to clean the mess up.

"You´re right on that one..." Stein answered and looked behind his back, just to see few students being harassed by the dancing trees.

"Yeah. It would get annoying if they would began their dance again." Stein commented. Oh but some of them had already started. He had bad experiences from the last time trees started walking.

"Oh, by the way..." Kid began his sentence "Are there any signs of Maka´s friend being there?"

"Are you implying that Chrona is still alive?"

"No. Just decided to ask."

Chrona, Medusa´s "daughter", went missing at the same time that Shinigami perished. No one really knew why, but the guess was that the girl went somewhere far away or got herself killed. Maka was really worried when she heard this at first and demanded that they would let her to go and look for the girl, but how could he have allowed something like that. Out there were the witches, Noah and his gang and Kishin. And to all of them, the girl was either a threat or luxury food.

"Well I´ll be going now." Stein said and once more turning his screw around. The mirror went back to its normal state. Kid sighed.

"Something bad is going to happen.." He hen raised his head and looked the sky ceiling. "Father...What in the world should I do?"

* * *

"What should I do?" Maka complained loudly.

"Huh? You troubled?" Soul asked while walking after the pigtail scythe meister.

"Yes! I can´t decide what we are going to eat today."

"I made you a perfect breakfast and you´re already thinking about dinner."

"It´s important! you´re a growing child/teen. You need at least 3 hefty meals per day."

"Why, thank you Mother."

A loud thud was heard in the middle of the streets. Some of the eyewitnesses heard a word, Maka chop , Soul was laying on the ground while a really irritated looking girl glared the boy crawling on the ground, trying to get up. Then she left, leaving Soul there, all bloody and damaged. To Maka, it was absolutely impossible though for her to be a mo...mot...mother...yes, a mother. Her own mother was her only idol. Maka was in front of a little stall that sold, fruits. The fruits that they sold were really cheap and good. Maka knew this, because she had came to this little stall countless times.

"What do you want to buy?" asked a really kind looking old man.

"Apples, peaches, grapes and pearls please."

The stall keeper said ok and started gathering the things that the girl ordered together. Maka looked at the other fruits that were selling well. Suddenly her eyes caught a glimpse of orange. Bright orange. Maka fully turned her head and took a better look. The stall was selling lemons, Oranges and...really bright orange color having mandarins.

"Do you want me to pack you some of those with you?" said the older stall keeper. Maka though a moment and then said, "Please do so."

The stall keeper, after waiting some time, gave Maka the fruits she asked in a plastic pouch. Maka putted them in the big straw basket that she apparently had. Suddenly it stuck her. A really eerie feeling. Almost everything went black. Sky seemed to be painted bloody red and people were moving slower. She gasped. She couldn't feel anything and not even smell the flowers, planted on the window sills and under the city trees. The stall keeper gave her a worried look, that she could make out, but as soon as she did that, the older man´s face looked like an water color painting´s main character that has a face which water had ruined. She could feel it again and apparently so could other skilled meisters at Shibusen. Kid stared the sky from Shibusen´s terrace. His hands clenched the stone bannister, and he looked shocked.

"Why in the world now..."

Spirit ran up the stairs to the terrace that kid was standing on. He ran all the way to kid said in a worried tone, "Kid-kun, the Insanity wave has came here. The reason is unknown but..." as soon as he saw Kid´s face he stopped speaking. Kid´s face was full of anger and haste for something." Kid-kun.."

"Why in the world has that thing decided to pay a visit in a time like this!"

"Calm down. Who is coming?" Spirit looked worried. He stammered closer but in reality he was as scared as was the sanzu boy. They lived pretty peacefully when the sun was up so this kind of a situation had only happened when Kid's father was still alive.

"Kishin! It´s the damn Kishin that´s coming!" Kid exclaimed in slight panic. The moment those words left Kid´s mouth, Spirit´s face turned as hard as rock and confusing or fear, emotion it had too."But that guy..."

"Anyway! Evacuate all the citizen immediately and gather the meisters and weapons here. We have to work fast!"

Spirit acted as told and ran off in the school to explain the situation. Kid stayed at the terrace.`Liz and patty should arrive at any minute.`

"You´re really as stupid as they say_..."_

Kid jumped and turned around. Just behind him...Kid couldn´t believe his eyes. Even though he had stated that the Kishin was coming, but so fast..

"Shall we test your strength?" asked a mocking voice.

"Why have you come here...Asura" At the same that Kid asked that, Spirit arrived at the end of the stares and was just about to shout something to Kid when he spotted Asura. Standing between him and Kid.

"You bastard..."Spirit gritted his teeth.

"My, my. What do we have here. A death scythe. Weren´t you the one heused before he perished?" Asura chuckled.

"You damn bastard!" Spirit shouted and dashed toward Asura. His hand transforming to a scythe´s blade. Asura jumped off from the way and made Spirit hit the terrace´s ground.

"Spirit wait!" Kid tried to convince the older male."Without a meister you cannot do it! You end up dead!"

"Are you telling me to just watch and listen to that bastard´s mocking words towards Shinigami-sama!"

"Spirit...please...bare with it." Kid sounded really irritated. He too didn´t want to put up with anything like that, but right now, he had no choice.

"Don´t worry. I´m not here to get on your nerves. I just hope that I could take few souls."

Kid and Spirit stared Asura blankly. Few minutes there were absolutely no sounds then, a big "HUH?" was heard from the terrace. Kid and Spirit´s faces were really hilarious to Asura since he laughed. `what the hell is this guy thinking?` raced in their heads.

"I´ll take few and leave." Asura said and then disappeared.

* * *

Maka was taking support from the closest wall while shuddering and gasping. It was here again.

"_**Little girl is so lost in though..."**_

The demon god was here and here she was. Trying to maintain consciousness.

"_**It didn´t even realize the betrayal it committed..."**_

Betrayal? Well damn betrayal, she has been loyal through her all life. To that person.

"_**Now the betrayal has become overt. No longer can the girl turn back..."**_

The damn voice with its sing sang tone. Her chest hurt. Even more than in that dream.

People were running into their homes and stalls were closing. No one wanted to be left out. Because if would, they would die. Maka watched, trying to keep her eyes open, which was becoming hard. She watched as mothers grabbed their children and ran away. Meisters and weapon that were still too inexperienced or too young, ran off too. She watched that if Soul was around, he would provide a fine support and then she too, could go somewhere. But no. Her condition was becoming worse and Soul was nowhere in sight. Maka´s vision became blurry and her ears didn´t hear properly. Her legs went numb and the hand that was taking its support from the wall began to shake.

"_He´s here, he´s here!" _She heard in her head."_Let´s go to him, let´s go to him." _It was her soul again. Asking was she okay. Could she walk, if could then maybe she would run. To Maka it sounded like her soul rejoiced that the Kishin was present. It laughed, it smiled, it danced. The feeling made Maka´s stomach turn around. She parted her hand from the wall and instead leaned to it with her back. She was already sitting. People turned back to normal and when she closely watched, their faces were full of terror. Next thing she felt was that insane wavelength of Kishin. That made something in her head snap. The wavelength was so immense that she could see it so clearly that her eyes hurt. Then another scream. It was already screaming. Now it was angry,

_"He´s here, go to him. Move, run, walk! Go to him!"_ But she didn´t move. Not even one inch from that spot. Would she fall to madness if she moved? Every time she would say "no". Another scream. She heard the people screaming:"quickly to your homes!" but she didn´t move. She saw how few stalls were broken. _Heartbeat._ Felt like it was torn away. Her soul´s grigori wings were receded. She closed her eyes. Another wave of water. She stood up. Her soul acted as if hiding. Hiding from the one that it wanted to realize that "I am here." She took the basket and started walking. Slowly opened eyes saw nothing. She was the last one. The only one left behind.

* * *

"Catch him, at all costs!"

"Sir, we are trying but, he..."

Asura swayed two meisters back and forth until it looked like they were going to throw up. At the same time he ate some souls he had "picked" on his way out of the town, but was currently "surrounded" with "all hopeless situation". Except that the all hopeless situation line was not for him.

"...He is clearly playing with us." the meister continued after a pause Kid looked at the man who was eating souls with a really, Do we really have to do this-face.

"You know, this would be easier if you would just let me go." Asura had his point. It would be easier.

"Well, no thank you. My reputation would go to crows if I would do that." Kid answered with pride.

Asura was quiet for few minutes, then, "You had one?"

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" Kid shouted angrily.

Another pair of meisters came in Asura´s attack range intending to knock him off from the roof he was currently standing on. Asura looked at the two and showed them a pitying face `weak...`. One of them swung his sword and other was trying to hit him. To Asura, it looked like a light show when they did their soul resonance. He dodged the blade and tried to not get any of the bullets hit their mark that the other shot. He did not notice that Kid had Thompson sisters as pistols in his hands and he too was on soul resonance. Spirit launched himself off to Asura and swung his scythe´s blade that was his right hand towards Asura. However the Kishin noticed this act and jumped up. As for Kid, he took this opportunity and shot with his guns. Asura was knocked off from the roof. He fell to the other side of the building he was standing on. Kid sighned and and commanded the remaining meisters,

"He's still on the other side off the wall. Go get him!" But to do that they had to run to the end of the many block of flats. They formed the other side of the street that visually acted as the stall street (Like marketplace.). It would take some time.

Meanwhile:

Asura had fallen onto some stall. He currently patted his head and stared the sky. It was already evening. The souls he had, had were scattered around. His head was laid back, until he tossed it back. It looked like he was sitting. "Oh, good god. They didn´t have to be so persistent". He stood up and began to gather the souls back to his hands. Maybe he was getting a bit rusty in fighting or then he was just becoming lazy ass or then it was those damn things inside him that made him not to attack to viciously. Either way it was highly depressing fact that they were beginning to catch up (not! He didn't think so at all.) After few minutes he had them in his hands. But then he heard that they were catching up. Shouting voices behind his back showed that they weren´t far away. Kishin´s wavelength was easily realized. "I don´t think I can hide here..."

"HE´S THERE! I SEE HIM!"

"Che..." Asura frowned. He would have waited and killed them if it weren´t for one little move. Something grabbed his scarf that hanged around his neck, and pulled him to the shadows. He turned his head a little and had time to say two words:_"It´s you..."_

* * *

Shibusen´s people had arrived now at there where Asura should have been. Nowhere could he be found.

"He fell onto a stall at the looks of it." Kid said.

"What should we do Kid-kun?" Spirit asked.

"It is highly a like that he has already left Death City. This is almost at the borders of my soul, and I cannot sense him anymore."

"So we retreat for now?"

"Yes. Ask everyone to go back to their own apartments." Kid said. Spirit ran off to tell everyone. Something was bugging Kid. `His wavelength disappeared in a second. That´s not possible. His soul radiates insanity. And I cannot sense him outside neither.` Then Kid´s eyes widened and he muttered,

"One of our own has helped him..."

* * *

HAH! Praise me. It´s almost 7 pages long...well actually six. But the paper is just ending. So it´s 7. I wonder should I put this in suspense instead of horror category...Well anyway I'll update as soon as possible! And if, btw: if you have any requests that cross to this pairing (Asura-Maka) then tell your ideas. If you want me to write a story about your spilled beans(ideas) then Yes. I can do it. + I´m not sick anymore. YAY for that too. Review please.

**23.12.2010 Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed**


	6. The first Spartoi meeting

**Beta: Otherguy14**

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

FB=flashbacks

Chapter.6. The first Spartoi meeting

_With gods like this, With a ambiance like this. It was destinated to become overt._

Kid walked. He walked and walked. Strolled around his room. Then he sighed. Walked, walked and walked. Strolled ,strolled and sighed. Spirit sat on Kid´s most comforting chair. At least it looked like the best choice. Then when the silence was becoming too substantial, as no one wanted to break the heavy atmosphere, Liz shrieked. Everyone in the room turned their head towards Liz.

"I cut my nail too deep!" and then the whole room sighed.

"Kid-kun what do you propose that we do?" Spirit asked in a serious tone.

"Yeah. If one from our side has helped him, well...you know what it means!" Liz, made an extra comment.

"I know!" Kid answered, clearly frustrated."I know, but..."

"But what?" Stein said."There are no buts in this matter. Someone has betrayed us. Someone from Death City has helped him. One of our citizens has hidden him, well enough for us to not even get a glimpse from his wavelength." Everyone that was in that room nodded."And, that means he´s still inside Death City." few minutes silence, then Kid though, `Insanity is not something you can just erase from earth. It´s something that stays.`

"Stein.." Kid began his sentence and made the one he was going to talk, look at him,"Do you think that it´s possible to erase insanity?" Stein stared Kid and then turned the screw that went through his head around.

"Impossible." he finally answered." There are no that skilled technicians or weapons in Shibusen and normal people hardly even know what wavelength is."Kid noticed something from Stein´s theory. He though it a little then he asked, " So you need a really skilled technician or weapon to do it, don´t you?"

Now Spirit took a part in the conversation."Kid, it´s really impossible. Not even Shinigami-sama, was able to do that." Stein nodded and turned his screw again."True. but_**,**_ _**IF**_such a wonderful thing would be possible..You would need a soul that can conquer insanity. Be in harmony with it. Swell in madness and still be okay, and that kind of a person still needs almost as strong wavelength as Kishin or..."

"or?" The conversation was becoming interesting.

"You would have to ask Kishin himself to make his soul wavelength almost nonexistent and go everywhere with him, when putting your soul under huge amount of stress. Or then be absolutely compatible with him, which is in fact, impossible."

"Why? Is it so difficult to make that happen?" Kid asked. Stein was quiet a while then he lay his eyes to Kid. From Kid´s point of view Stein´s eyes looked really cold. Heartless man.

"You know this. Madness consumes your soul. It tires the soul´s owner out and so..." Everyone watched Stein, waiting for the final word. "The owner dies."The whole room looked like they saw something really disgusting.

* * *

**Meanwhile, in one specific bedroom:**

There were two persons in that room. One was, by the looks of it, finishing her unfinished homework that was left like that because yesterday´s hassle. The other person, was sitting on a bed that had pink bedsheets and two white pillows. Other of those pillows was being hugged by the person that was sitting on that bed. Asura was staring. Really attentively. Even more attentively than Soul had done at yesterday´s dinner session. And Maka asked exactly the same thing as she had asked from Soul,

"Is there something on my face", she got her answer right after the question was asked.

"No, but your face is missing something." Asura said. Maka, undisturbed by the older man´s comment continued with her homework while asked, "And what might that missing thing be?"

"Guilt." He said while narrowing his eyes." and worry."

"If you´re bothered that your wavelength might leak even a little, don´t worry. I hid it well."

"Not that." Asura almost buried all of his face in the pillow. Eyes were shown and they showed confusion, but never did they lose their stare. "I don´t worry about that. I trust that you can do what you did, and so far no one is on my trail yet."

"So what are you worried about?" She asked. She was almost ready with her homework.

"Nothing. But you should be." He clearly stated the facts. Yes she should be sick in worry and try to escape from Death City using any measures that would be available. But here she was, doing her homework, peacefully.

"And you do not even consider the though of me being too dangerous to be kept as a house pet."

Maka stopped writing. There was silence for few minutes. Asura stared Maka. Then she turned to face him. They stared each other. To Asura, the atmosphere was becoming too heavy, and so he began to though,`why is she staring? Is she going to do something?`Don´t stare damn it!` And then out of blue she stood up from her work desk´s chair and went over to him. Well to Asura, the girl was too close, and he backed up. She went there, no fear in her eyes and that made him back away. He backed away even more when when she raised her hand, he fell off from her bed. A loud thump was heard,it was likely that he hit his head one hand still hugging the white pillow. Maka settled on her bed obliquely, her head resting on her hands legs swaying to and fro. Like a teen age girl talking to phone. She stared him. He patted his head. Her face went a little closer he went as downwards as he could go and grimaced, "what?"

She gave a laugh."No. The though of you being a house pet is just funny."

"Don´t think anything." he demanded.

Maka´s room´s door opened, revealing Soul behind it. He looked as if he had ran for a mile.

"MAKA!" he looked relieved to see her."I searched for you everywhere! God everything, and when I couldn´t I came here." he sounded really worried.

Asura watched quietly the face that was shown by the young girl. Soul couldn´t see him because he was on the floor and the girl was blocking Soul´s view. She looked blank. It wasn´t exactly the best time to get Soul in her room.

"Maka is there something wrong." Soul asked. He stepped out from the doorway and was now dangerously close."Are you hiding something?"

Yes. She was hiding something. The most wanted man in this whole world and the cause of yesterday´s hassle. `Why in the world did he had to come? Go away! Please Soul!` Her head was in mess. Asura giggled while showing a really playful grin.

"_You shut up and stop laughing!" _she tried to whisper. Asura raised his finger and lifted Maka´s head up, still grinning. "Maka..." Soul touched her shoulder and then she did it. She had to get Soul´s attention to somewhere else than here, so she sharply turned around and her face now in front of Soul. She raised her hands up, fingers making that kind of a aspect that maybe she had claws and she glared Soul while screamed,

"**GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" **Imitation of some beast. Soul backed away. Sweat dropped."Maka?...are you alright?" He stepped back when she stood up from her bed. Still imitating. Soul could almost sense the aura surrounding her and shouting.

Asura ´s head was now up too and his hands were resting on Maka´s bed. He looked at the girl. As for Soul, Maka was still blocking his view. She literally drove him out of her room. Running towards Soul, the poor boy had no choice but to run away, Maka still following him.

"JESUS CHRIST MAKA, SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Asura was left alone in that bedroom. A loud scream was heard. Asura turned his head and watched as a Blue haired, loud and all the words for hasty and careless, boy shot in. Well actually, the intruder was probably going to fly in to the apartment but stumbled on to a sill and broke the window, which caused the shards of the broken glass scatter to the floor and the Blue haired boy fell straight on to them. Blood splattered. Asura stared, Blankly.

´lame` Asura frowned to the lying figure, almost death? he had something written on his right arm which said: "Black Star." Black was written as in normal fonts but the star was just a picture of star. Asura watched as the bleeding boy slowly got up."This...this kind of a...*Cough*...trap is...no..nothing to the great me.." Black Star was now on his feet and started running towards the bedroom´s door. Completely ignoring the staring Demon God.

* * *

"SOUL!YOU BASTARD!"

Soul was currently running away from the girl that looked like she was going to choke him.

"AT LEAST KNOCK!"

Now he was currently in locked bathroom. No way out, except the door that was currently locked, as stated earlier, and angry girl behind the door made the escape impossible. She was scratching the bathroom door and growled. Really loudly.

"Maka. Calm. Down." Soul said. Then it went quiet. The ruckus was over. Soul opened the door and looked the girl in front of him. Her eyes no longer angry. She stared him.

"Soul..."

"What?"

"from now on, please knock. You might not know what I´m doing inside." Soul was quiet.

"_**There might be monsters..."**_

* * *

"SOUL!"

Soul and Maka turned their heads to see bleeding Black Star, broken glass pieces stuck out from his forehead. Soul and Maka both had the same thought:`Did he come through the window or something.` Black Star was standing and then he grinned. Thumbs up he said:

"THE ME, MORE BRIGHTER THAN ANYONE, HIGHER THAN GOD ITSELF, HAS COME HERE TO DELIVER MESSAGE TO YOU!"

"Black Star, you´re being too loud." Maka made a small comment.

Black Star whispered the next sentence,_"Kid wants to see the Spartoi. He has one mission for all of us."_

"_Treat your wounds damn it. You´re ruining the carpet." _Maka whispered back. Soul sighed.

"When is this meeting?"He then asked.

"_Now. You are the last ones that weren´t there so I came to pick you up."_

"Black Star, you can stop whispering." Maka said. Then she went past Black Star, arriving to her own room's door. The door was as open as it could be. Little wind blew over her face and she stared the broken window. Then authoritative voice that was already becoming too well known said:

"Fix it."

Maka turned her head again and her eyes laid to the man she was currently hiding. Asura didn´t look at Maka. He stared the floor that still had blood on it.

"Your floor is ruined." Then he began lifting the pieces of glass from the floor with his scarves, putting them in to such as wastepaper basket.

"You say fix it but..." Maka was really in blank state. She wasn´t really sure what to answer. Another blow of wind blew on to her face. Again staring the window and now asking the older man:

"Aren´t you cold? You only have scarves to cover to."

"I´m never cold." was the immediate reply.

"Oh..."

…..Few minutes later...

Maka and Soul arrived with Black Star. Stein was standing behind Maka´s father who was sitting on a chair and the rest of the Spartoi members, counting Kid too, were there. As Black Star had stated, they were the last ones to arrive.

Ox was standing right next to Harvar who was sitting. Kilik was standing right next to Tsubaki who had pot of fire in her embrace, while pot of thunder standing next to Kilik. Kim and **Jacqueline** were standing few meters away from the last guillotine doorway.

Kid was in the middle of the room, while others being at the borders of the perimeter, that contained the mirror. Maka and Soul stood next to Spirit.

"So Kid..." Kilik began,"Why have you called us here?"

"Asura´s here." Spirit answered.

"He has always been here. You won´t ask us to look for him do you?"

"Spirit meant that he´s in Death City", Kid corrected.

You could clearly see the surprise and fear in Spartoi members. But who would have though that the most wanted man in the world would be here, right under their nose. The only ones who weren´t surprised were, Spirit, Kid, Liz, Patty, Stein and Maka.

"Wh..What the hell do you mean by that?", Jacqueline began. She was as anxious as everybody else."You mean that the Kishin´s here but no ones there killing him, or even trying to capture him?"

"Yeah! Kishin´s wavelength should be really recognizable." Ox stated.

"That´s where the problem lies." kid exclaimed a little more loudly.

"What? We have the most skilled meisters and weapons right here. How can they be doing nothing?" Kilik scowled.

"We can´t detect his wavelength anymore. It has been completely erased. Like he doesn´t even exist." Spirit cleared.

The atmosphere changed from heavy to unbearable. Everyone had disbelief and confusion written on their faces. But of course. It just wasn´t possible. As clear as it was, Kishin´s wavelength spread madness. He himself was the madness,and to hide something like that... After long silence Stein spoke.

"Yesterday´s ruckus. That was his fault. You sensed him too, didn´t you?" That was a question to all the members of Spartoi.

"Yesterday...you mean the evacuation order, that made panic?" Soul asked.

"I had no choice. He said he was going to leave after taking few souls, but..." Kid was trying to convince the others.

"Then you should have let him."Kilik said nonchalantly.

"What?" Spirit shouted.

"If you would have let him do it, he wouldn´t be here now. There would be the loss of few citizen but we can´t protect everything. Risks are inevitable." Kilik stated again. Everyone looked around them. They clearly wanted someone to nod their head or make at least say something back to the one that stated the facts. Stein sighed.

"There was no guarantee that he would have left after taking "few" souls." Stein said and inhaled his smoke.

"But didn´t he say that he was going to leave." Ox asked.

Kid was becoming worried. With this ambiance they were heading off from the topic. Spartoi was quarreling about should he have left the demon god alone, or did he do the right thing in chasing him. He too was becoming unsure that did he do the right thing. Spirit noticed this.

"Anyway,we should search for him. The more quickly we find him, more quicker the problems will disappear." Spirit said, leader like.

"It´s another story if you ask us to beat him." Soul stated.

The room fell silent. Maka was not taking any part in the conversation. It would be useless, since she already knew where the Kishin was, and she would show him a way out tonight. Their conflict was not over and that´s why she would let him escape.

* * *

Maka was walking out from the death room with Soul. All of the Spartoi members were quiet and thinking: What should they do now that the Kishin was in the town. Many of them looked down to the floor and were a little angry for, how could something like this happen when all the meisters and weapons who should be able to even drive the Kishin away. They were given the mission to look for him and by any means, drive him away. If they wanted to kill him they would need all of the Spartoi members and Death scythes. Right now Spirit was the only Death scythes present.

The meeting was over. This was clear. Right now no one had any idea where to start looking or was it even safe to start looking for something as dangerous as Asura. For that time no one was sure what would be coming. A future with no signs in anything, except one comment.

"Did that bastard have some allies with him yesterday?" Black star suddenly asked. Maka winced.

"No. He was alone." Spirit answered. He didn't like how the Blue haired Kid used his tone.

"I think all of you should know at least this fact." Kid said.

It was quiet.

"We have a traitor in here."

The air was chilling, even thought it was just august. That was the time she really felt some sort of unsafe. The traitor was she, and she alone knew this fact. Soul noticed something too. He stared the girl who had already stopped looking. Soul didn´t hear anything. No one else heard that little warning that was whispered in her ear. The wish took a touchable form and it touched her shoulder with its hands. Familiar voice that she had encountered in that dream.

"_**You have 24 hours to escape. After that, you´re no longer safe."**_

End of the first Spartoi meeting.

* * *

**This one took a while. Well I spent my time watching Shangri-La and playing trickster, although I already have the fourth alphabet chapter ready. **

**Anyway please comment. You have no idea how much I want to hear your comments. Don´t take after me and just read the fic and then go away, with no comments. (bad habit.)**

**Once again thank you for reading. (_._)*bow* **

**23.12.2010 Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed**


	7. The most incredulously acting girl

**Beta: Otherguy14**

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

FB=flashbacks

**And I am sorry for the spelling mistakes. If there are simply too many and it annoys you: Please comment! I´ll be sure to do better job with next chapter (_._)*bow***

**

* * *

**

Chapter .7. The most incredulously acting girl.

_I don´t want to leave this city. It´s where I get killed if I won´t realize the line between betrayal and an act._

She was really scared and sad. Kid had stated the facts, and god how she wanted to confess that she was the one who did it. But no, she kept her mouth shut. No one should know about the betrayal she had committed. No one. She could feel the hallucination´s presence here in death room. It was smirking. Maka could have sworn that it was almost laughing. She could not see it clearly but she felt it. Right behind her, it joined its hands with hers.

"_**Let´s shake hands, let´s be friends."**_

Like hell she was gonna be that thing´s friend. That would make her mad. If she already wasn´t.

"_**I'll make you feel the fear that much I can promise."**_

The hallucination was becoming clearer and clearer. It rested its chin on her shoulder and leaned its head on her head. For Maka, it was uncomfortable. It was like, her own mind played tricks on her. Scarves moving and clung to the throats of everyone in that room, then it choked them. No one felt a thing, no one winced, no one screamed. Now she was sure; only she could see clearly.

"_Didn´t I tell you that I´m_ _your creation girl?"_

"_Yes you did."_she whispered back.

"Is everything now clear?" Kid asked. Now that he had told them, Kid was sure that they felt somewhat motivated enough to catch the bastard and make him tell who helped him.

The whole group answered one big:"Yes!"

"Then you can go." Kid said with a relieved face.

The clock was already half past ten. This meeting lasted way too long. They had spent almost four hours in complaining or just snapping at each others. She was tired...and hungry.

"Soul..."

"Hm?"

"Can you make the evening meal?"

"I made breakfast. It´s your turn."

Maka´s face looked blank. She really didn´t have any energy to spare. She still had to walk to their apartment and...Her bed was probably being used. Should she sleep with Soul?

"Soul, carry me to our apartment. Piggyback ride please."

"Seriously..."

* * *

Soul was really carrying her meister. Piggyback ride, as stated. He watched the ground that was covered with flagstones. He felt Maka´s breath on his neck. It was warm and kind, absolutely those and more. Soul raised his head and looked up to the evening sky. The Laughing sun was sleeping, almost gone beyond the horizon.

"It has been awhile when I last held you this close." He mumbled to the already sleeping girl. Then he looked around. People were watching from their windows. They had lights on their hands and it looked a lot like they sang some requiem.

"_Like a nightingale."_

Soul listened to the songs they sang. It was like some funeral. At least it felt like that. There was no wind, just clouds that seemed to darken. He should hurry.

"_Boy let go of that girl. She´ll be your demise. That kind of a lying girl.."_

"_**Yes let go of her."**"Let go of her." "let go..."_** "let go of your love..." **Soul winced. Love... oh damn it was like they were singing right from the lyrics that were on his head.

"**You shouldn´t listen to them Soul." The devil inside soul remarked.**

"I have no plans in doing so." Soul just continued to walk towards their apartment which was in fact already in sight, Maka´s room´s windows were open. The other one was the one which Black Star had broken with his marvelous entry. `I guess she forgot to close them when we left.` He thought. The little Demon inside Soul was quiet.

X

**In Black room:**

The candles were lit and jazz music that sounded it came from a broken radio, was playing and the little ogre was sitting on the piano as almost always.

"**Does he even realize that it´s that girl that is committing the betrayal? He can´t be that dumb." **It said and flung the key of black room around it's finger.

"**Well in time he will learn it anyway."** a big grin appeared on its face. Kishin´s eyes were dancing behind the red curtains and the candles that had the shape of those eyes were lit on too. The unused Piano was covered in dust. Soul had not played very many times lately.

"**I wonder will the girl keep her mouth shut?"**

* * *

Maka squirmed and moaned. She was being laid on to a couch that had few red blankets and normal settee pillows on it. Soul used one of those blankets to cover Maka and then he turned the lights off from the living room. He thought that Maka wasn´t going to wake up today and so he too went to sleep. It was quiet. Without Blair or any visitors it really was quiet. Soul was in his bed. His body completely covered by his duvet except the head. His head was laid supine and he stared the door that lead to the living room, which Maka was sleeping in.

`Don´t even think about it.` he said to himself in his mind.

Soul got up."Maka´s so gonna kill me for this..." In truth Soul wanted her to sleep with him. No dirty tricks, just sleep with him...until the morning came. Soul walked over to his door and slowly opened it. It was dark and it was hard to see. Soul squinted and tried to make the verges of the pieces of furniture clear. Luckily Soul´s room door made no sound when opened, so it was easy to sneak around the house without anyone taking a notice. So he took another step and another. Finally he was behind the wall that had the couch right opposite it. `Should I just take it as a kidnapping case?` he said to himself again. He peeked around the corner. No one was there."That´s good." Soul walked up to Maka. She was sleeping quietly.`As girls should.` He moved few hairs, that belonged to her forelock, away from her eyes. `She´s a little pretty when you take a closer look.` Soul thought while blushing a little. After that Soul walked away. Today was not that day. He went over to his door and closed it. He left her alone.

Ignored by Soul, there was a little shadow at Maka´s room´s doorway. Asura had seen all of that previous act. He took steps that made a little creak when departing from the floor.

"_You can hear the footsteps of a living being."_

The footsteps stopped when they reached the girl. The moon shone through the windows that resided in living room so brightly that it displayed the demon god´s face. Asura´s eyes were holding their usual insane gleam. He squatted, so his eyes were on the same level as the girl´s closed ones.

"You're awake aren't you?"

Maka opened one of her eyes. "Of course I am." Then she got up. Asura just stared and then he too stood up. Maka patted her skirt. Her hair was messy after sleeping on the couch."If you wanna avoid raising a ruckus, I´ll get you out." Maka noticed how close the demon god was. The moonlight fit him perfectly . Much better than a regular daylight.

"Shall we go." That said Maka walked out from the room Asura following after standing still a while.

* * *

"Who does he think he is." Stein said irritated.

"You mean the enemy?" Marie asked.

"Who else could I mean?" Stein spoke sharply ans sighed." I don´t think my eyes will open tomorrow..." Then he turned his screw around again.

"If you´re tired then don´t come here." Stein turned around to face spirit.

"Goodnight, Senpai."

Spirit simply irked and at the same time he thought Maka.`Maka I wonder how are you.` Stein watched as Spirit stared him, although he knew that the weapon was not around the ground anymore. Stein walked over to Spirit and clapped his hands together right in front of the weapon´s eyes."Senpai, it´s time to wake up."Spirit's daydream about his daughter was lost and he muttered something about not to interrupt the father-daughter bond making fantasy.

"Is everything ready?" Everyone turned their heads towards Shibusen´s main entrance´s doors. (They´re outside.)

"Kid-kun!" Marie exclaimed, happily. "Yup. I think that we´re ready."

"The thought of Kishin falling into our trap is marvelous. When he´s caught I can do whatever I want with him..." Stein whispered while emitting black aura and laughing quietly. It makes people think that is this guy safe to hang out with? Spirit and Kid were having a private conversation away from the rest of the group with contained meisters above 3 star and 2 death scythes: Marie and Spirit. Stein was to be the meister for both of them.

"Spirit I have something to ask."

"What is it Kid-kun?"

"Is Maka doing alright?" he asked with a serious face.

"What do you mean? Of course she´s ok. She´s always ok."

"No. I was just thinking that earlier at the Spartoi meeting when I told that we have a traitor, she acted strange after that." Spirit´s face made "I can´t believe this guy" movements and then," You´re saying that my cute daughter haven´t told us something important?" `Cheeky brat...` Then he made an evil smirk.

"No...It´s just a feeling." Kid sighed, "Please forget what I just said." After saying that Kid moved forward to join the other group.

"Alright everyone! We have a Kishin to hunt down!" Meisters and weapons walked the stairs that led to Shibusen, down and scattered around Death City.

* * *

"By the way where did you hide the souls I had collected?" Asura asked while following the girl. They were already near the borders of the city. The girl had proven herself to be useful.

"I gave them a proper soul burial." Maka answered without a slightest bit of concern in her voice. Asura was dumbfounded.

"It took time you know!" A straight reply was thrown back at him,

" Don´t worry. When I send you to heaven you can eat all the souls you want."

"...It´s already too late if I die."

"I don´t care."

"Look at yourself, your wide open."

"So?"

"I can kill you before you can even lay a finger on me." Maka stopped walking and turned around. He walked over to the Kishin and poked him on his nose. Again he found himself dumbfounded. She turned around again and continued walking forward. The desert that was outside the city was already in clear eye sight.

"Don´t come here again. There are too many enemies here." She made a comment after a short silence." I´ll end your life when I next time have a mission that has some ties with you."

"Could you stop referring me as I would already be as good as dead? It´s making me nervous." They arrived to the border. Maka stared the desert. The nice night wind was blowing from the direction of the mountains. It made her hair and coat move along with the wind.

"I won´t take a step from here." She said then she laid her eyes on him. His eyes were closed and his hair too moved with the wind. Suddenly, one of Asura´s scarves hung around her throat and threw her at a building.

"ASURA!" came a high-pitched voice from the end of the stone alleyway. It was Soul.

* * *

**UOOOOOOOOOH! Damn! I am continuously out of ideas! No,no,no,no...I´m not out of ideas. It´s that there are at least 5 other stories in my head that I wanna write. At least 2 fics from Bleach and One piece! Then there´s always that absolute Soul eater fic!I wanna write an different ending to Soul eater! THAT`S WHERE MY IDEAS GO! But don´t worry. I'll write this one to the end first.**

**4.1.2011 Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed**


	8. Chrona

**Beta: Otherguy14**

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

FB=flashbacks

* * *

Chapter 8. Chrona.

"_Maka, I´ve come back. I don´t really know what I should say to you, but this, I´m home."_

"ASURA!" Soul shouted from the end of the alleyway. Asura could see the blazing fury in the boy's soul that radiated straight from the cores. The younger boy was clearly not happy to find his partner with the demon god. The older man was simply quiet. He had no need to speak. Soul laid his eyes on his partner who was currently rising from a garbage mountain. A banana peel was on her head. She hissed something about washing her clothes again, but only the demon god could hear that.

"Maka! Are you ok?" Soul shouted before taking a step.

"Of course I´m not, you idiot! I was just tossed into garbage." She smelled herself and groaned, clearly not liking what she had smelled. Suddenly out of nowhere, there was a clang of metal. Stein had arrived with Spirit. Asura took a step aside avoiding the direct hit.

"Oh no you don´t" Stein answered and widened his soul´s size making his wavelength look monstrous. Asura didn´t do anything, his wavelength still being as if erased and he din´t make any attempts to leave the protective wall laid over his soul. This fact irritated the professor greatly.

"Do you not see me as your enemy?"Stein asked while swinging Spirit around like a man who cuts the crops from the field with his grass scythe.

"Clearly" Was all that left the enemy´s mouth. The scythe shoot down from above making Asura jump out of the way. Maka and Soul watched from afar.

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Soul asked. This reply was also a hint that Maka took.

"No. And I am tired. Shall we leave Soul? Or do you want to watch this?"

They both already knew what was to come of this small battle. Yes, in all small battles the bad guys would always win (well not always but with Kishin vs one mortal the result was clear). One swing from Stein when he dashed forward and Asura had to jump out from the borders of Kid´s soul. Stein continued his action and Spirit did his best to keep up with it. He stepped out too and a scarf was torn apart by Spirit's blade. The Kishin didn't want to use Vajra and attract more attention. One flee was enough thank you very much.

Soul sighed, "Somehow it´s cool to be watching this." Maka didn´t respond to that. She turned around and started walking away. Soul stayed. He had decided to watch.

* * *

**Morning.**

It was just as she had said. Soul informed that Asura had gotten away.

_Flashback_

_Soul came into his and Maka´s little apartment. The girl was watching TV in pajamas._

"_So how did it go?" She asked, but Soul guessed that she knew the answer already._

"_He escaped...and he didn´t get even a single scratch." Soul narrowed his eyes at the end of his sentence. How would she react, was all that was on his head. Maka turned his head towards Soul._

"_I see..."-Then she got up and turned the TV off. Soul was taken aback. He really expected for a, ´That´s good´, or ´That´s an relief´´ like comments. Maybe it was just him thinking too much. The clock was already over 23:00. These staying awake sessions would became tough for his and her bodies. Maka had already went into her room to sleep ,and so he turned off the lights._

_End of flashback._

X

And now he was eating with her. Blair had come home at, who knows what the clock was, but at least she looked perky. Unlike yesterday it was raining pretty hard. Soul guessed it had something to do with the insanity wavelength that Kishin had spread until it disappeared.

"Maka-chan, how are you doing in school?" Blair asked. Maka didn´t stop eating but answered,

"Normal. Grades are good, PE is good too and...well we haven´t gotten any missions lately so can´t say they´re going for good direction."

"Missions?" Soul said. He sounded confused,"You mean you want to go for a mission?"

"Yes." She answered again while eating her omelet, "I thought it would be refreshing to do few missions once in a while."She finished eating and then she looked at looked at Soul, "Are you alright?" Soul was indeed looking a little confused, blank and...how should we put...bewilderment was also there. He stood up in impulsive manner and slammed his hands on the table, in that progress he knocked over his hot chocolate cup and made it spill.

"So...you mean, after all the ruckus of yesterday, you wanna go and do an mission?"

"Soul your drink is spilling." Blair said. Soul blinked few times then he looked the table. Maka had lifted up her plate and glass, Blair had used her magic to lift everything else that was on the table.

"Thanks for the food. Soul you should clean the mess and dress up." Maka said while going back to kitchen to wash her dishes while Soul started going to his own room. It hadn't occurred to him that he was still in pajamas.

**After few minutes.**

"Do you come home early?" Blair asked. She wanted to confirm that did she have the whole bathtub for herself today.

"I guess so. I if we don´t get any assignments we should be able to come home before -"

"W—hich is quite unlikely because of yesterday.." Soul just had to butt in.

"Okay, then. Have a good day." Blair said cheerfully.

"You´re in high spirits. Good bye." Maka said and closed their apartment's door.

* * *

On the busy streets of Death City it was like yesterdays hassle hadn't even happened. Same cheerful atmosphere was present and on those streets, a specific duo walked...

"Ahahahahhahahah! SO SHAME THAT THE GREAT ME DIDN´T HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE SOME SPOTLIGHT YESTERDAY!"

"Black Star you´re being too loud..." Tsubaki was really uncomfortable with everyone staring them as if they had something wrong with their heads.

"Tsubaki you too! Soul and Maka were like that yesterday too!"

Tsubaki narrowed her eyes, "You didn´t do anything wrong did you?"

Black Star was quiet for 10 seconds. Then he blurted out and shrugged, "I just broke their window with my great entrance."

"THAT´S MORE THAN ENOUGH REASON!"

"What´re you talking about?" Shinigami's son asked. He had heard his friends from afar and decided to greet them. From the looks of it he was out for nice Sunday walk.

"Ah! Kid-kun." Tsubaki sounded relieved. Sometimes she really didn´t know how to deal with her meister. "What´re you doing here? Shouldn't you be in DEATHROOM, angsting about the fact that you let the Demon god get away."

Kid's face was first monotone then a smug grin appeared on his face. "What´re ya talking about ya bastard. I LET him go. That´s all. Of course it didn´t look like that but..."Black Star listened as Kid continued to list the reasons why he wasn´t the one responsible for the incident. Liz appeared behind them.

"Don´t mind, he has been like that since Stein gave his report." Tsubaki sweat dropped and Black Star listened passively. Soon after that Maka and Soul joined them. And soon after few enlightening conversations...

"What! You won´t give us a mission?" Maka exclaimed loudly.

"Of course I won´t." Kid answered.

"So you have no idea how bored I am. Let me give you an example." and so she started to tug the weeds from the ground.

* * *

"DEATHROOM..."

A person dressed in black was standing right outside the death room, the corridor was shady. The person was attempting to knock the door but was stopped by something that came out of its body.

"Ya really sure, ya wanna go in there? They might not like it." The person winced. Pink hair locks covering her face so that you could not see her face if you wouldn´t take really close look or then the person lifted her head up a little.

"It´s okay. I think I´m welcomed." Chrona pressed the handle and took a step too see if anyone was in. The door was only halfway open, making the them look suspicious. After confirming that no one was really there Chrona opened the door fully. Now that the Chrona stood in light one could clearly see that she was young and slim. Her hair was pink and eyes black (although they seem to change blue when she is confused or angry.) that person's steps were a little insecure and wobbly.

"There´s no one here so I think I wait them here."

"Whatever ya say." Then Chrona walked along the path that had many red guillotines set just above their heads."What if those things fall?" Ragnarok asked, materializing out of Chrona's back. Chrona stared the path ahead and answered the question with her usual shaky tone.

"It´s okay. They have lost their master so they´re not gonna fall." Then, after walking awhile she was greeted by a big mirror.

"I guess this is it." Chrona looked around.`Should I go farther?´ The never ending space that had cross like metal graves planted on its ground, clouds drifted on the ground and air. The never ending dimension of death himself.

"But he´s gone now." The Black creature appeared yet again from the person's back.

"What are ya mumbling about?" Ragnarok asked with irritated and high pitched tone as always. The girl looked attentively and then she squinted.

"This poor dimension has lost its original master so its confused to trust or not. It´s doesn´t accept the new owner fully, which is no surprise, he is a kid after all."

"So what´s yar point?" She closed her eyes and opened them only halfway. Chrona really looked sad."This dimension doesn´t know how to deal with this fact." Then she was left standing there. All alone.

* * *

"She did a pretty clean job."Kid admired."I can´t see any weeds. Is she still doing it?" Soul pointed his finger towards some restaurant. Maka was cutting, already dead branches from the city trees.

"How long do you think she´s going to continue?" Kid asked again. In no way did he want her to stop. After all this city was never too symmetric.

"You should grant her a permission to even take one of those paper requests from the mission board. She had one she was interested in if I recall right." Kid turned his head so that he was facing Soul.

"She was interested in one of the easy ones?"

"No. it was a high rank mission." Kid didn´t answer or say anything. Soul too just watched for a while before commenting, "Don´t you think Maka has been acting strangely in the short run?"

Kid sighed, "A little, yes. But it´s not something enormous, so I ignored it."

* * *

"I seriously can´t believe him! What´s wrong with the fact that I wanna go and do an mission?"

Maka walked away. Too bored. Nothing to do. When a couple walked past her, Maka quickly swung the scissors with great accuracy and succeeded not only scaring the hell out of the people but also cutting the lone hair that protruded from the boy's head. Amazing she did this all without even looking.

"Some action would be needed." She sighed and didn't watch the pair crawl away.

"_Yes. Some little action would be welcomed."_

She stopped walking. She was hearing things again. Maka raised her right hand over to the right side of her head. "Do you have...a solution?"

"_Chrona..."_

Maka's eyes widened at that. Soul was staring his meister.`Is her head hurting or something?`

"Hm? Soul, is there something wrong?"Kid asked noticing the scythe weapon's behavior. Soul didn´t answer. Instead of answering he started walking towards his meister. When he was just few meters away from her, she started running towards Shibusen.

"Hey!"Soul made an at attempt of running after the girl but decided not to.

"Maybe that´s her way of relieving stress?"Kid made an comment face as monotone as ever. He was right behind Soul. Not sensing his presence first Soul winced and was startled. "Man don´t do that!"

* * *

"I wonder how much longer..."

"What are ya blabbering about?"

"No one's coming...and I´m getting hungry..."

"Yeah...I´m getting bored."

"Should we go for a walk?"

"Are ya referring me as a dog?"

"I wonder if any apple trees would grow here...anything to eat..."

The were still in DEATHROOM and they was getting both impatient and bored too. No one had come. Chrona was currently sitting behind the big mirror (which might have been part to blame since no one could see you behind the mirror.) It provided some shade and shades were comfortable. There was black blood on the ground, meaning the meister did not have any desire to control it, so it just leaked and spread.

"Should we walk around a little?"

"Ya nuts? If ya walk here it´s only matter of time before you get lost or won´t return!"

"I guess you´re right...Let´s go out then."

The human stood up and started walking towards the start of the guillotine road.

X

Maka was running through the people that were inside the school building, only one name sounding in her head,_`Chrona!`_

_X_

"Ya sure ya wanna go away? I mean, what if we just miss them?" Ragnarok expressed his worries clearly and almost gave Chrona a noogie.

"Then we come back." The pink haired said. The door to DEATHROOM was already in sight.

X

Only one staircase then she would arrive at her destination. _`Chrona must be there!`_

Then she arrived at the door. Panting.

Chrona took a hold of the handle and turned it around...

X

She turned the handle and the door opened...

* * *

"I wonder why Maka-chan was in such a hurry." Tsubaki said.

"Maybe she had a date but she had forgotten it. Now that she remembered it, the clock was already past the promised time." Liz added but the promised part was the time she had reserved to Manicure. Soul winced. His face scrunched.`_Maka. On a date? Impossible. But maybe...No,no,no,no! Absolutely ridiculous! She´s a bookworm. Not interested in boys...´ _Soul´s face went through many emotions. Last one was the shady eyes.

"Guys! I think I gotta go." Liz turned her head towards Soul, "What's the hurry? You late for something too?"

Soul sweated a little;" Y..Yeah. Something like that." this wasn´t cool at all...

"KID-KUN!" Soul turned his head towards the noise. Spirit was running towards them. When the man had arrived right in front of Kid he took a breath. Few ladies backed off, knowing that Spirit liked to flirt with women.

"Did you find any?" Spirit asked when his breathing had become even. There was a long silence.

"Find what?" Kid finally said.

"What are you saying? I asked that did you find any of the sacrificed souls?" kid blinked few times, his face clearly showing: I don'tknowwhatchatalking about, facial expression. Spirit could have made an comeback comment but was dragged elsewhere by Soul.

"Give it a rest. Whatever it was, it´s long forgotten."

Spirit cried."You really think so? It was important..."Soul let go of the man's tuxedo which made the older man make a `thump` sound when his butt touched the surface of the ground.

"Soul you´re being mean..." However Spirit quickly noticed that the younger white haired boy was serious.

"What´s wrong?"Soul kept staring currently the most powerful Death-scythe, who was in fact, miserable father. "I think Maka has a boyfriend."

…...Silence...

…...Silence...

…...Wind blows but its silent...

That came like a thunder. Spirit couldn´t move. He transformed into a rock statue that quickly after being constructed, fell apart like dust.

* * *

Chrona was amazed at first, for never did she expect to meet her panting friend like this. She was amazed.

"CHRONA!" Maka shouted at first. No reaction from the pink haired human. First: Maka started crying, second: she got a runny nose, third: She jumped on Chrona. Ragnarok didn´t have time to comment or say anything. Maka cried some more. Then as always, after seeing Chrona for along time she cried, screamed and her snot was making smudges on Chrona´s black dress. When Chrona got tired of not knowing what to do, Ragnarok said that Chrona should hug back, and after a while Chrona said:

"I don´t really know what I should say to you, but this, I´m home."

Maka didn´t know how to answer. Her tears were pouring into the drain, at least that´s what she thought. She didn´t let go of Chrona but still, after a long silence welcomed her home.

"Welcome home..."

X

"_**These kind of things won´t last forever. They´re beautiful because have the habit to end."**_

_**

* * *

**_

I gotta ask this but please go to my front page and vote for the poll. It would be nice to know that more than 5 people have voted (_._)*bow*

**Well anyway, here´s chapter 8, and I´m getting my ideas back, so presumably I think that at the end of February we have at least 12-13 chapters in this sideways story.**

**I wonder how many of the nice authors would write a fan-fiction about this pairing if I ask really nicely? I´m running out of the fics I can read. Please comment if the story is becoming too boring.**

NOTE: I usually (in the real world) get comments that my stories are complicated and there´s too much stuff in it (specially my mother language teacher says that. But I write English better.) and that there´s no plot (No matter how simple I make it.) , Do you think that "Sideways" has the same problem? I would really appreciate it, if you would tell me.

**Reviews please!**

**4.1.2011 Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed**


	9. The rhyme of the time limit

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks_

_

* * *

_

Chapter.9. The rhyme of the time limit.

"_Why must we always be on the brink of falling into a never ending vortex."_

"So when did you come back?"

"I..."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I..um..."

"Eat something."

"Um…Yes…"

Chrona was currently sitting on Chrona's friend's apartment's chair. It was a chair that resided in Chrona's friend's kitchen, and there was a table too, right in front of Chrona. Maka was speaking to her, asking all sorts of questions about how she was and all. She had forced Soul to make something for her, because Maka, herself was currently busy with Chrona. She sipped some tea that the white haired weapon had offered while listening to Maka's blabbering. The house had its original comforting feeling. It was a home that Chrona never had.

"Your food's ready."

"Ah, Soul! Right on time, I, at least, am very hungry." The blond took a plate from the weapon's hands and placed it right under Chrona's nose.

"Here, eat it up." She smiled. Chrona just nodded.

"Ain't there anything for me?"

"Ragnarok keep quiet." Maka was silent. She was surprised that Chrona had actually said that and what was even more surprising was that the black blood clown obeyed without any complains. After that little comment everything just went so quiet. Soul sat on one of the chairs and drank water from his glass that was full of water. Maka just eyed Chrona and sometimes placed some food on her fork and ate. But mainly she was eying Chrona. This didn't go unnoticed by the pink haired witch, but she let it go. It was a really long time since she last saw Maka after all.

She really was glad that Chrona decided to come back. Now she had her friend back and she didn't need to worry that she was getting herself killed or harassed by Ragnarok. She could live with her and Soul. Everything would be okay, since Kid had already approved that Chrona wasn't an enemy.

"Your life sure seems like dancing on roses."

Maka's eyes were closed but she smiled and turned her head to the side, only to meet by pair of bored red eyes and black hair locks that had eyes planted on them.

'Why does this guy always have to pop out of nowhere at the most obnoxious times? Couldn't he see that she was having fun? Or then did he come here to ruin her mood by just being there?'

"Ah, no, no. I'm just sympathizing with you. You're gonna leave and this girl here..." Changing his voice and features, from bored to pitying. "Will probably lose her cool and then _boom_, she starts destroying things." All Maka could do was to turn her head once more, but this time she faced front. 'Ahaha, don't worry, that only applies to you." But the thought was still inside her head and wouldn't take itself to leave.

"And..."

'What?'

"Is there anything for me to eat?"

'Oh I wouldn't bother to order anything for you.'

"You really are-"

"Maka do you want dessert?" Soul asked. Both turned their heads towards Soul. Chrona had stopped eating, her plate was empty, and she was staring at her. Maka tried to grasp the situation but seemed a little confused.

"Order something." Asura said but oh but this was ridiculous. Maka felt like she was being watched (stared, glared) from different directions.

"Ye…Yes," Soul stared her a while and then he went over to the fridge and took 3 pieces of cake out of there, one for Chrona, one for Maka, and another for himself. Soul didn't know or see the hallucination of Asura standing right beside Maka and so put the plate, instead of Maka, right in front of hallucination. This made a smirk grow on the older man's face.

"So there is one for me after all."

'Ah, no that's for me...' He stared her for a while. Slightly disappointed he sighed. The girl eyed the other a while then she too sighed. 'I won't eat it so it's yours.' He took the plate with no warning and from the view of an outsider it looked like the plate was floating. Maka quickly raised her hand and now, at least it looked like _**she**_ was the one holding the plate. He moved it up, she raised her hand and she had to move a little to make it look normal. Soul stared the act. The girl moved the plate up and down, right and left and the result: She fell off from her chair. But the plate was still on the air. Then it went down. He hadn't seen such a clown performance in a while.

"Maka, are you alrig..." was all he could say when suddenly out of nowhere, a fork came out flying towards the plate. It would have hit the target if Maka hadn't gotten up suddenly. Result: A fork sticking out from her forehead.

"IT HURTS!"

"Maka!" Soul spoke a little louder."Hey, what's with you...Chrona?" The pink haired girl had taken a battle position and had black sword in her hands. She was glaring something."Ouch...hey Chrona what was that for?" And the girl caressed her forehead.

"Good job in protecting me. I'll praise you." She turned her head only to see Kishin's hand that had a thumb up. That too didn't last long since the man was sitting, he could use the floor as a table and eat. 'ARG! This is your doing isn't it?' As the man swallowed the last piece he wiped his mouth with his hand."Wrong." Then he pointed Chrona with his finger.

"I think she senses me, so I'll go now." Indeed it seemed like that.

"Soul, get away from that table and take Maka too."Chrona said in a bewaring tone. Maka was shocked.

'But how? Your my imagination so why?' Kishin was quiet for few seconds.

"Maybe you have such a lively imagination that its leaking out?" A glare was sent towards him. Next thing Maka saw was Chrona attacking Kishin and at the same time Kishin was dispersing into the air. Never did the grin leave his face.

* * *

"Maka...what was that?" Maka turned sharply, she was sweating a little.

"No..nothing...You were just seeing things!" Chrona blinked twice.

"Maka, I didn't see a thing. I just sensed danger." Maka's eyes were covered in mild shadows. But then she just gave her a small smirk. "Don't worry, you were just tired."

Chrona just nodded. They were currently in Maka's room. Maka herself was sitting on her desk's chair and Chrona was sitting on a pillow that was on the floor. Because Maka had wanted to hear everything from Chrona; what she did and all, it took some time. She had found her in the morning; they had eaten in the forenoon. Now it was noon. For Maka, hearing Chrona's voice was more than enough to make her happy.

"Would you like to live with us from now on? You aren't leaving anytime soon right?"

Chrona thought it a while then she said,"I'll think I'll live in the streets. I can't bother you after all you have done for me," Then she gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry you aren't bothering us. You can sleep on Soul´s bed while he can sleep on the sofa."

"Maka...Do you mind if I sleep on your floor, in your room?" Chrona asked nervously. Maka was quiet, well actually surprised. "Don´t you like Soul?" Chrona swayed her head right and left, slowly. She didn't know how to deal with Soul. Maka stared her a while and then she smiled and nodded.

* * *

"NO! Absolute NO! As her father I will strictly forbid it!"

Honestly, Kid didn't know what to do. Maka's father was one of the most protective types and of course, wouldn't let his adorable daughter go for a mission that was among the highest ranks. So he just watched Spirit's riot about not letting her do it.

"But she asked for a mission. She had even decided which she would take."

"NO~! She is not going to do it!" Kid could see snot and tears on Spirit´s face and that was the reason he was at least 3 meters away from the man. He didn't want to get dirty. Kid sighed.

"Liz, Patty..."' Two girls, one smaller and one taller, stepped up front. They had Spartoi clothes and shoes. "Yes?" Kid's face was covered in mild shadows as he spoke his words, "Please tie Spirit up nicely and throw him into the basement." "Roger." Spirit didn't hear and continued his protest until he was tied up and unconsciously being dragged down into the so called basement. Kid looked the paper in his hands. If the girl wanted a mission he would give him one, but he couldn't shake off the unpleasant feeling that came when he stared that so insignificant paper.

_**The clock goes towards the beginning, but when all the participants noticed, it had already ended...**_

But overall of that, he smiled by the stupid idea that something could happen to those two. Soul was a Death scythe and Maka was one his best meisters. Nothing could happen, right?

_**The bird flies towards its destruction."**_

The moment this happened was between 7 o'clock and 8 o'clock

Soul and Maka were walking towards DEATH-ROOM. Chrona had fallen a sleep and couldn't accompany them so Maka just left her sleeping on her bed, (actually Soul had lifted her). The corridors were dyed orange by the sun that was setting. It looked beautiful how to shadows danced in the falls and made their act marvelous.

The corpulent columns shined towards the sun and raised the shadows on their other side. Stairways looked longer than they actually were. Both Soul and Maka were quiet. Neither of them wanted to say a thing. Crows assembled at the Shibusen, a few of them were sitting on the window sills and eying the inside. They cawed with their loud voices and the sun laughed. The children stopped walking. They opened the door and went in.

"I have been waiting you two to come," Both of them stayed quiet. "I decided to give you a mission that fits your rank." The Thompson sisters were standing on the each sides of the mirror. She didn't even remember how happy she felt.

"So you're going to give me one!"

"That's what I said."

Soul sighed, "Hope it's not too hard."

Maka walked over to kid and took a look. Her eyes widened. It was exactly the same mission that she had picked from the board. Exactly the same hand writing and requirements. Out of pure unforeseeness she asked, "Where did you find this paper?"

"Oh this? This was in my pocket but I didn't realize it being there until Soul made a note that you wanted a mission this morning. Do you want to accept it?" Maka nodded. She raised her hand and it all happened in slow motion to herself. The moment she grabbed it she couldn't hear Soul or Kid anymore.

"Kid?"

Soul watched as his meister took the paper. The moment she got a hold of it something changed. The air got heavy and the clouds in the room stopped moving. He watched in horror as black crack appeared out of nowhere and Maka was standing right on top of it. He didn't like it one bit. Was she going to fall or was she just going to act normal, he didn't know. The clock was at 9.

Spirit winced. Something in his head told him that something was not alright. He felt as the ground darkened and all the mechanics that were stored in the basement started to vacillate a little. But the current him had as much power as mouse. He had been locked up with chains and locks so his scythes didn't work at all. 'Maka...' Suddenly the door that led to Spirit opened. Liz was behind it and if she hadn't shouted Spirit wouldn't have heard anything at all.

"YOUR DAUGHTER'S IN TROUBLE!" After hearing that Spirit was freed and god he couldn't remember when he last took that kind of a dash. There was a panic written on his face as he ran. Panting and sweating, he arrived at his destination and opened the door. He first felt was the thick air, it was hard to breath. The second thing he saw was the path of the red guillotines. Liz came right after him. "It's up there!" She shouted and pointed her finger towards the center. His daughter was in danger. The clock was at ten.

"MAKA!" Soul shouted. He ran to his meister and shook her violently. No response."God dammit Maka!" but she couldn't hear him at all. She stared that paper and kept hearing those voices that she so wanted to get rid of.

"_It's the enemy! It's the enemy!"_ repeated in her head. She didn't know why but she was apoplectic. She couldn't forgive someone.

"_It's doing bad things! It's gonna hurt him! It's gonna incarcerate him!" _Her eyes looked merciless and Soul felt that too. Her skin became so cold that it was hard to hold her. "MAKA WAKE UP!"

_If it's an enemy..._ the crack under her became wider. Spirit dashed in with Liz,"MAKA!"

_Shouldn't we just kill it? _The crack opened up and she fell. Soul got a hold of her and he too fell. The last thing she saw was her new friend that was apparently in that blackness and as they fell down fast she saw how Asura smirked.

_**Your time's up.**_

_**

* * *

**_

**17.2.2011 Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed**


	10. Gopher

"...."=speaking

`......`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks_

**Bold= shouting angrily **

**-:-= (I might be too lazy to repeat one word so I´ll use this to replace it. **

**And I am sorry for the spelling mistakes. If there are simply too many and it annoys you: Please comment! I´ll be sure to do better job with next chapter (_._)*bow***

Chapter.10. Gopher

_The crack opened up and she fell. Soul got a hold of her and he too fell. The last thing she saw was her new friend. That never disappearing grin on his face and the pocket watch flung into the pit. The clock was half past ten._

"Uh..."

There was a green field.

"uuh....."

There was a nice breeze and there were trees. Soul was standing. He looked surprised.

"What is this place?"

The nice little breeze tossed his hair around and he opened his eyes only to find them wide open. He was already looking this scenery. He couldn´t believe that something like this was possible. One moment she is with Maka, second he falls, third he finds himself here. Maybe he´s sleeping. He caught a little light in the corner of his eye. He turns slowly and what he couldn´t believe was something he saw.

"Ah! Soul!"

he couldn´t believe it was Maka. She ran towards him and smiled. She had a white dress and her hair was loose. She had summer shoes and had a garland on her head.

"What are you doing?",she asked.

"Nothing."She began to walk away but was stopped by an arm that grabbed her arm.

"Wait...", she turned around. The so nice little breeze was gone. Her eyes faced his own. It felt like she was the most innocent thing in the world. They stayed like that for a while then Soul pulled her in for a hug. Soul tightened the hug then he let go of her to only meet her surprised eyes.

"S..Soul?", she looked a little suspicious about what her partner would do next.

"Maka! Th..the truth I...I..Lo...lo..l..."

"Hm? What´re you trying to say."

"I LOVE YOU!", she blushed. "Soul...", angels and church bells were present.

FUTURE: Maka wears a wedding dress and Soul´s in tuxedo. They have a fine life with one or two kids. When they are old they spent their old days together and so on their kids get their first dates and they too will get married, they get grandchildren and they watch their "good old days" photos together...

They kiss when the other wants and Soul want to do it now so he goes closer but he is stopped. The blushing girl in front of him looks really embarrassed.

"Yo...You know Soul....I too....", He couldn´t believe it."I like you too.", she looks a bit down skew

and doesn´t know how to continue. But he knows perfectly.....

* * *

"_H....heavy....."_

His eyes open again only to find themselves closed.

"Uuh....."What was I doing?"

"_Can´t...breath..."_

"huh?". Soul feels that his butt is touching something soft. He looks down and gets his second big shock in his life. "MAKA!!" He quickly stands up only to see that something´s coming out from the girl´s mouth. It´s her ghost. "MAKAA!!!! She looks pale and doesn´t seem to breathe."MAKAAA!!!" He quickly goes down to shake the girl, violently."MAKA! MAKA! MAKA! MAKAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" The third great shock in his life: he gets punched that hard that even Black Star would get hurt.

After that Soul just laid down. Partly because it hurt so much and mainly, he didn´t want to face the girl right now. The dream still fresh in his head. The girl went into a sitting position her head still tilted back.

"For how many times....." she stood up like she was being pulled up with strings. Like a marionette. She tilted her head to the side and then up front. Her hand caressing her occiput.

"Do you intend to wake me up like that?", and there seriously wasn´t light in her eyes. She sneered it out and scowl was making its presence clear too.

"You see? Let´s go.", then she started making her way towards Soul. "I know you´re not Unconscious! Wake up!" Then she literally threw herself on her partner who, for himself, made a pained cry. "Heavy..."

_**-This continues for few minutes but let´s just skip it-**_

"So, where do you wanna go? There ain´t many places we can head for."

Indeed. Soul was right. They had actually no idea where they were or what to do so let´s take a look at the surroundings. Fog. Yes a thick fog and trees. Very, very old tress and thick bushes. The ground had wet grass and there weren´t roads, they couldn´t hear human´s voices or any kind of an sign that there was human life near by. It had a very Irish feeling added to it.

"Let´s head for there." She pointed her finger towards one way. Soul was very uncomfortable with Maka´s decision.

"No. let´s head for there." He pointed his finger to the opposite direction. There was a silence.

"Fine. You go there, I´ll go here." She finally said and disappeared into the forest. Soul was again left standing there. Alone.

* * *

She found herself lost sooner than she had expected.

"What to do....."

It was quite seen beforehand. Even the sunlight rays didn´t make past the thick fog and the protective trees. Her shoes were more wetter each time they made a contact with the wet grass and her blue skirt began to change into a darker hue of blue. Her hair was a little dank. Maybe there was a river or a swamp near by that spread the fog.

"I have no idea where I came from." She was a little irritated and disappointed in herself. She would not loose her cool over such a small matter as this, so she began walking forward again.

She walked and heard the birds´s long tweets. They were sung with a very low voice so it sounded like a owl had done it. Minutes passed. The fog became thicker. Maka could keep walking for at least 3 to 4 hours because her general fitness was one of the best in Shibusen. She finally thought that she made it out with a little light seeping from the other side of the fog wall working as a guide. She reached her hand and what she found, a cliff and the sea.. The sun was just climbing up to the sky. She couldn´t believe the view she saw. After incredulity and surprise she went a little closer. The forest´s trees´s roots and rocks were making the cliff very slippery and stark and the forest ended just at the line between falling and going back. Little rocks fell down when her feet tried to find its place. Then she heard something. The ground was shaking and she raised her eyes for them to take a good look at the sea. She didn´t like what she saw. The sea was splitting itself. She gasped and watched the occurrence, that happened right in front of her eyes. Why was the sea doing something like this? She felt herself shaking. Was she scared or just so awed, she didn´t know.

"Holy..."

She tried looking for the bottom. She didn´t find any. Just a bottomless black bit. It seemed too black and too deep to even try to comprehend. Now she knew what she felt. Absolute helplessness and her mind was blank. She had this kind of an feeling before. Yes, when Soul was almost cut into two halves by Chrona but this time the feeling was making its presence too clear to even try to ignore it. She was scared. Scared that she might fall, scared that she might be pulled in. There were dark clouds in the sky, which just while ago weren´t there. Water fell from each sides into the black pit and that made a little steam rise up to the skies. She shouldn´t be here.

`I gotta go before....` she turned around to go to the forest but fell into it and before she knew she was inside of the fog forest. She didn´t think, she was scared, so she stood up and started running.

* * *

"Where in the world did that girl go?", Soul asked himself while sighed. He had walked his own path and then he got lost. After that he wanted to go to Maka and decided to turn back but he had no idea where he was or where the girl was.

"This is pain the ass."

And before he even realized he was on top of a hill. He saw the top of the trees but the vista didn´t get any better. The fog made it impossible to see well. He didn´t know where the forest ended or was there some signs of life. There wasn´t even wind, not to mention it was getting pretty cold.

"Gotta hope Maka´s doing ok."

* * *

She was running. How long? Maybe 15 minutes. It was a little difficult to breath, but she didn´t care. Was she seeing things when she thought that people were after her? They wanted her to begone, so she ran. She stepped on something that made her fall, her clothes all wet,it looked like she had just swam. She needed more air so she stopped and turned around. Panting heavily she made a more relaxed posture when realizing that there was no one. She made a small smirk ,

"I must be one of the delusional humans..."

Suddenly she heard a a snapping sound. Someone walked over the fallen branches. She took a little more aggressive stance and faced, whoever was coming her way. And when she saw what it was, she couldn´t hide her surprise and shock.

"AAAH! I must be the one he watches but he was getting too friendly with those village girls -sniff-...WHY DOESN`T HE CUDDLE WITH ME-cries-"

the more he walked, the more he broke the fallen branches under his feet. He didn´t like the sound they made, so he squatted and stared the branches. His lower lip made a grimace that was similar with a triangle and he growled.

"you guys know it too, now don´t you?" He stood up and started walking forward. His soul wavelength was messed up, mostly because his emotional side was the controlling him now. His short black hair rose up and down because he walked too fast. His black shoes and pants were wet, and they were turning into even something more darker than their original color, black. He bit his thumb as he walked faster.

"I´m the only one who can please Noah-sama."

he walked over the bushes and trees and the branches under his feet snapped. Before saying anything he had arrived into a very small clearing. He just couldn´t help but stop biting his thumb and his eyes were wide open. The girl had a battle stance, but she was without her scythe. After few minutes he spatted out one name:

"Albarn..."

* * *

"Gopher?", she asked bluntly. The least she had expected was to run into her enemy in the middle of nowhere. And if she understood anything about human's facial expressions, he was as surprised to meet her.

"Albarn...", he said and stopped biting his thumb. Oh but this was just so great. She didn´t have Soul with her, so she backed away a little. The boy stood still.

"What´re you doing in here?", he asked after all that silence. She relaxed a little. It didn´t seem like he was going to attack anytime soon.

"Where is this?" she asked.

"You don´t know?" now there was a BIG confusion on the boy´s face. A sudden realization hit him in the back of his head.

"Oh damn you...You´re here for Noah-sama aren´t you?", he glared her. A question mark appeared on her head.

"Completely wrong.", she finally said.

He couldn´t believe this girl! Her enemy was standing few meters away from her and she was still so relaxed, and now it looked like she starting to chat with him. What was with her?

"So you see, I´m lost. If you know the area tell me where I am and where should I go."

"If I take you out will you promise that you will not do any harm to _my _Noah-sama?"

"I´m on a mission by the way."

"Very well, follow me then."

Maka did as told. But somehow she felt that she had forgotten someone.

_At the same time somewhere in the forest:_

"Now I know what Robinson Crusoe felt. This is so uncool."

Soul was in a tree. Apparently there were some wild animals free to roam around. Monkeys were on that tree and one was sitting on his head. Down there were few snakes and wild boars.

"Hope Maka´s doing better......" then he let out a sigh.

* * *

The atmosphere in Shibusen was gloomy and impatient. No one had really acknowledged what had happened and that caused chaos.

"How in the world can she just disappear!!!" Spirit cried. No one answered because, they didn´t have the answer the girl´s father was looking for. Kid didn´t even try the strategy: Let´s all calm down and think, because he knew it wouldn´t work at all.

"Where in the world is my daughter....." It also depressing to watch Spirit in his depression. Kid sighed.

"Um...." came a little voice from the corner of the death room´s circle area. They all turned their heads towards the speaker.

"I..if you want I..can go look for her....if you want...." The speaker was Chrona. She had came an hour later, after the incident. Kid thought that it would be wise to sent her out. Right now she was on their side and she was their most efficient "Searching for a lost girl" person. She stared Maka´s papa and was quiet. Ragnarok was on her head, he was quiet, knowing that if he would speak it would make the things even worse.

"Kid, isn´t it okay?" Liz said. "It´s effective and it might even work."

"We have no idea where the girl is so I don´t think that it would make any difference to send out some troops and search for her or then sent Chrona out for a look. She could be on the other side of the earth."

It was quiet again. Chrona eyed everybody in that room and then she left. Even if they would have said "No", she would have still gone. Because Maka´s her friend. There was a little creaking sound and the whole room´s atmosphere went even further away from happy.

"Oi, Kid." Black Star said with a menacing tone.

"What?"

"Send us all out. All of the Spartoi."

Kid turned violently towards Black Star with wide eyes. "Are you mad?! No way I´ll send Shibusen´s own protection squad in the middle of nowhere, while not knowing that we´ll not be attacked."

"you HAVE Stein, Spirit and all the other´s here. At least I´m leaving. Let´s go Tsubaki", and with a little hand sign Tsubaki and Black Star started walking towards the exit.

"Tsubaki not you too!?", Kid shouted.

"Kid. I think we all feel the same. We´re gonna go no matter what you say." Tsubaki remarked before completely going out of the room. Rest of the Spartoi members just sighed and took a look of Spirit before going out.

"Have a nice trip." Stein said before turning his screw a little, lighting a tobacco, and taking Spirit to community health nurse. Kid was left alone standing there.

"Father...What should I do...."

* * *

"How much more?" Maka complained. They had walked for hours, or at least two.

"Do you have any idea how large this area is?" Gopher said while trying to maintain his cool.

"I already said no." the forest´s trees were vacant. No breeze was here. Maka was bored so at the same time when they walked, she pulled the mission paper out from her pocket and looked it. The paper was so wet, the letters were all blurry and hard to recognize. She remembered that it had something to do with witches and.....well something more. Suddenly Maka´s nose met with Gopher´s back. They boy had stopped moving.

"That hurt you bastard."

"We are here." Maka blinked twice and stared the boy. "Are you an idiot? There´s nothing?"

yes, there were just more trees and fog making themselves boundless.

"Look more carefully." He said and raised his hand to touch the air. He closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and stood there a while. Maka stared him thinking, `What´s he doing?`

Suddenly he opened his eyes and shouted "HA!"

a violent wind came and she had to keep her skirt down with her hands, otherwise it would have risen. Her pigtails moved violently and the trees´s branches fell onto the ground, she closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again. There was a crack in the air. On the other side, there was a mountain village, and the sun shone brightly. There were people also.

"This forest has a habit of hiding itself between dimensions. You would not have found your way out even if you would have searched it for a century."

She was dumbfounded. No way in hell would she have thought that something like that was possible. Her mouth hang open and she was speechless. Gopher was already on the other side and wondered why the girl hadn´t come. He went in once more only to find her standing there mouth open. `Don´t tell me this was her first time seeing something like this?´ he sighed and grabbed her hand. "Come." and pulled her in. It didn´t take long and it felt like passing through a glass like water wall. She took her first step outside.

"We´re here now. And as you promised you´ll not lay a hand on Noah-sama."

Maka would have heard that if her legs didn´t fail her and her conscious slip away.

"Are you alright?" He asked and she fell onto his back.

* * *

.

.

.

She was sure she heard laughing voices of children. The tree´s shadow was comfortable, she didn´t want to open her eyes. Just sleep.

"Albarn?"

Gopher´s voice was sooth and calm. She knew that when she would open her eyes she would see Gopher´s big and round eyes. She opened them. Instead of Gopher´s eyes she saw fully opened red eyes. She blinked. Wasn´t this supposed to be one of those prince/princess stories? She raised her head up from her sleeping place. She had been laid down, under one of those village trees.

"Good thing you´re up."

She turned her head only to meet that one-persistent-annoying-little-ghost-hallucination-or-what-ever-you-like-to-call-it. She looked him with blank stare.

"I was about to stick a needle in your eye just to see if you´re not dead." He explained while smiling and holding a needle in his right hand.

`How the hell can you say such not-so-nice things with a happy face.` she thought while trying not to scream.

"You know, it WAS troublesome. I couldn´t come to you since you were in somewhere where I can´t come. My fun has been ruined-", and before he could continue with his fake disturbed and worried face and voice: she stood up quickly and started walking towards the area where people (other than that sadistic bastard) were present. And for her grievance, he came after her.

"Do I really have to spend a day with you?" She asked in a furious tone while the other just hovered in the air. He walked beside her while being upside-down which made his hair fall down.

"Not exactly. If you want you can make me disappear, which you´ll never do because you need company after abandoning your partner."

She stopped on her tracks. Her features became paler. Asura was quiet.

"You didn´t forget him did you?" while wearing incredulous smile. She turned towards him like some robot and her mouth was open. Shock was all over her face.

"so...soul...." She whispered and her face was exactly like Edvard Munch´s, The scream.

"Which kind of an meister forgets her own weapon."

her face became even more hopeless. He turned up and was sitting on the air with his "I don´t know what I should do with you" face.

"I´ll start taking cash for this." Gopher commented.

"Shut up. It´s not like I asked or anything."Soul remarked.

"I am gonna help you, because Albarn promised that you wouldn´t do anything to Noah-sama. Of course I could let you sit there for the rest of your life and not do anything because it seemed like the girl had already forgotten you.

"I knew it!" Soul shouted from a tree. Yes, he was still there because no one had dared to save him. The wild boards were still there, monkeys, snakes and God even few Zebras were there.

"Why are there Zebras here? It´s a god damn forest!"

"Think of it as a miracle forest."

"YOU`RE IN THE SAME DAMN SITUATION AS ME!"

BOTH OF THEM, were in a tree. In a different tree. And BOTH OF THEM had all the animals listed before under their trees.`Che. Only a lion is missing.` Soul thought.

"Oh! I should probably tell you." Gopher shouted.

"What?!" Soul shouted back. He was not in the right mood.

"All the animals that you want here-"

Soul heard a growling sound under him. Something big and yellow. Something which had big mauling teeth and it was right there.

"WHY THE HELL`S THERE A LION IN HERE??!???!?!?" Soul shouted while his eyeballs almost jumped out from his eye sockets.

"...Come here." Gopher finished his sentence. In his side there were Giraffes and hippos too.

"This is not damn safari! Why do you have giraffes? Why hippos??? At least wish something cooler!"

"Oh no! You see I have a traumatic experience with those kinds of an animals, he said with a calm face.

"Oh,You shut up!"

* * *

It was already night time in the world Gopher brought her. The stars were so shiny and there were no clouds. She was sitting on a very classic bench that resided in front of the bakery and the tavern.

"What should I do...*sigh*", she said lazily.

"Shouldn´t you go to Noah?" Asura remarked while sitting on top of the bench´s back rest.

"Have no reason to get myself collected." She answered yet again while dodging a wine bottle which flew to her from the tavern.

"But, again you have no choice."

She sighed. "Shall we go and find that bloody chap." Then she rose from her sitting spot. Asura stayed. He watched the girl walk away and so he smiled only to disappear again, and who would have known how long he stayed silent for the time between now and when Maka was be able to find the real "he".

The insanity moved in the world.

**A/N: So how many of you guys slapped your head at the beginning and said: "This is gonna be Soul Maka? *Laughs uncontrollably* AHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! I have a nice sense of humor don´t I? Thanks for reading and review please.**


	11. A Cafe, rain and Noah's castle

"..."=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks_

Chapter.11. A Cafe, Rain and Noah´s castle.

"_I need your help."_

The sharp droplets began to fall to the ground. People opened their little black umbrellas or then took a shelter. The ground was painted with even darker shades of their original colors and big water puddles started to form. The sky was covered with gray clouds and even the normal breeze stayed silent. The rain sounded like hundreds of little glass pieces fell from the sky and shattered immediately when they touched the ground's surface. No one was outside anymore.

Maka was in a café, partly because it rained, but mainly because she was human and needed to refill herself with food. She had trouble deciding what to eat because her poor money situation, but that still gave her something. She gave the money to the cashier and picked a table to sit down. She sat down, after going to the table that was most close the windows that had a clear view to the streets. She sighed and started eating.

"Why the hell does it have to rain?" She said irritated.

"Must be because the season is changing, meaning that there will be more coming." answered the waiter that had just arrived next to her. She hadn't realized the others presence until he spoke. The waiter realized that she was surprised and gave a warm smile to her.

"Would you like to drink something?"

Maka nodded. "Can I have water?"

"Of course" and after saying that the waiter went to get the order. It shouldn't take long. It was just water.

Maka turned her head towards the window again. Why the hell did it have to start raining...When it rained, the usual cheery air that made her comfortable was gone. But by no means did Maka hate rain. It's nature's own way to clean itself. She took another bite from her food, and then she turned her head to watch the other customers.

"Here's your water."

Maka flinched. She hadn't realized that the waiter had arrived, and so she gave a little scowl at him. The waiter immediately backed away. When she realized that he was gone, she sighed and stared her glass.

"Honestly...Soul," her brows furrowed a little and she drank it all down and left the café.

* * *

"Hey, you disgusting little insect, I found something." Gopher called.

"YOU COULD AT LEAST USE MY NAME!" Soul shouted back at him. They had somehow got out of the trees and somehow they managed to shake off all the animals that came after them.

"Well what did you find?"

"A cave, look!" Gopher said blankly while pointing a really suspicious _black hole _that just appeared to be there. No rocks behind it or tree, it just was there.

"We can use this as a shelter." Gopher said again, but somehow Soul had his plans fixed on not going in. Well that would have been true and he would have never, ever jump into that hole if there weren't for the god's sake, raining sheep. It was a miracle itself that the sheep weren't crushed when they hit the ground. They just rebounded back into few meters into the air and then they came back, and eventually they had their legs on the ground so they could walk. So as freak as it sounded, he really jumped in with Gopher. Gopher didn't seem bothered at all...

Maybe there was a storm coming. There was no lighting but the sky was rumbling threateningly. Again those little puddles seemed to wet her shoes even wetter than they already were. Sun was long gone but it wasn't as dark as one would expect it to be. There was positively lightening. Otherwise the sky wouldn't make those kinds of sounds.

There was no one. She walked even slower than before, utterly wet. The abandoned cats and dogs were taking their shelters from the trash cans and little ramadas. She stopped walking. It sounded like the most skillful orchestra was playing its best melody. She looked at the sky and raised her head up. She closed her eyes and stood there.

The wind blew and threw her spartoi coat into the air but not violently, her long pigtails were too wet to move around. The sea was near and she could hear how the storm clouds got closer and closer to the ones core...her hands were loose on both sides. It was like everything in this world rejected her but at the same time, drew her closer as if showing that you-are-the-dearest. Even if someone had their window open, they didn't look outside.

Black liquid was starting to drip out from her hands. The black blood seemed to mix with the rain, and it wanted out of her body. It slowly started to reach the ground and form just another puddle for everyone to see. The sky rambled more loudly. The cloudy sky seemed to vibrate with anxiety and nonchalance. Black blood started to rise from the ground, slowly, and shifted its shape. It placed itself in her hand and tried to take a stable from. The gleaming long solid black rod was gleaming as thunder finally showed itself. A long blade was growing out from the black pole's another tip, but it was the one that faced the front. Another rambling sound came followed by a long silence. The black blade seemed to gleam and only get sharper when being under the rain.

"_Death to those who harm him..."_

She opened her eyes and the blade shattered. Not even a drop of blood was left, it all left like the ice breaks when smashed against a rock. The rain still continued and she started walking. She faced the front and from time to time you could see that black scythe in her hand, but immediately after you saw it, it disappeared only to appear again. Like a ghost that warps through the air. It could be seen until the girl was out of your reach and sight.

* * *

**At the same time with Spartoi Somewhere around the South-America (they started from there since Shibusen is located in Nevada which is in North-America)**

"It's 100 bucks mister."

"GOD DAMMIT, YOU SHITTY OLD GRAMPS! I SAID THAT MAKE IT CHEAPER!"

"There's absolutely no way mister, I make my living with this."

"THE AWESOME GREAT ME BLACK STAR IS HERE AND YOU STILL WON'T GIVE US A DISCOUNT!"

"B..Black star, I don't think that swearing and scowling will make this any better." Tsubaki groaned. They were stuck in some god knows where place and they just had to buy some food and that cost a lot since Black star was with them and then, transportation...well it wasn't cheap at least, since there were 12 people of the "we'll save Maka and Soul" plan.'

"Well, give me my money or I won't take you anywhere or give you food," said the calm old farmer that was sitting on the riding place of a wooden cart. He appeared have gone and brought some straws with him. Big green fields opened right behind them. Mainly Tsubaki had no idea where they were. They were just following Chrona's intuition. Kilik sighed.

"Here." and he handed out the needed sum. The old farmer smiled, "Hop on." Black Star gave his signature smile back at the farmer and shouted to the skies, "Chrona you can come down to rest now!" There was a silence for a while. The farmer looked up.

"Why are you shouting?"

"My friend is up there."

"Your friend can fly?"

"Yup!"

The farmer squinted and tried to spot a flying human. For a moment he thought the boy was bluffing but when he stared to see pink and black heading their way, he absolutely couldn't believe his eyes. A girl, no maybe a boy, was heading towards them, with two black wings growing out of her/his back while holding a black sword. It was like she/he was a rag doll only supported by those wings and would fall off by any moment. The farmer shook his head and sighed when the flying girl/boy was sitting comfortably on his cart.

"Youngsters these days..."

* * *

"Do all the evil guys have a fetish for large, dark and isolated castles?" Maka asked, when she stared (and I mean STARED), at a large castle from a top of a hill.

"Can't say much to you Miss, besides someone named Noah rented that place about a year ago." The guide said

'He rented it with his own name?' Maka thought not believing what she had heard. World was full of idiots...

The guide continued, "There's some thick jungle at the yard. (He means the whole forest area.) And there might be some animals out there, but I think that if Miss takes the clear path, there should be no problems." Maka just nodded and watched the friendly person, who she had no idea who he was but so what, walk away. She turned her head towards the big great castle that was so far away. Maka didn't complain at all. After this, it was sure that this would cause some problems but, it was sure that she would be able to get Soul back, if the magician agreed to help her. But what's there not to do it? She could let him collect herself for a while. A small smirk formed to her lips.

"As if."

* * *

_**1 hour later:**_

"I...I think I give up after all..." Maka complained. She was right now literally crawling on the ground. How was it possible for this stupid forest to contain a landscape that was equal to that of a mountain's?

"Th…This is impossible. No way I can save Soul if I cannot do this..." but what was she to judge? This was a completely closed jungle and no one around. It was dark and wet and the weather cloudy and rainy. When would the sun god bless the earth with its sunlight, she didn't have a clue. Currently, Soul was in some weird dimension that had wet atmosphere too...And the possibility that he was with Gopher was very high...

"I just hope they refrain from doing something stupid." She said while thinking, 'If-the-worst-happens' situations.

'That reminds me...' a picture of Asura that was smiling (sadistically) while waving his hand and saying "Good bye then" appeared in her mind, '...Doesn't he usually sleep in castles?' There was a little silence.

"S'THAT SO?" She screamed while making a -damn I just realized it- face." SO THE POSSIBILITY OF HIM BEING HERE IS 50/50?" an evil smirk appeared across her face and she began to chuckle evilly. 'Just you wait you bastard...'

Suddenly she heard a rustle behind her. Maka was wearing a surprised expression when she realized who it was. A familiar cap and that book that hanged around his waist. This place, right next to castle, so the first guess would have been that the guy was on walk, but no. Noah too stared her.

"Must be nice crawling on the mud."

No. This guy was definitely not on a walk.

"I might want to ask why is one of my 'soon to be collected' prize here," he asked while standing there, not moving an inch.

'I just might have shouted too loud! He heard me! Why is he even here!' Maka screamed in her mind. Noah untied the lock on the belt and took the book to his hands. He raised his hand and this just spurted from her mouth:

"STOP!" she shouted and made an X with her hands. "Stop, stop, stop!" and the book stopped right, and I mean right on top of her head. Noah stared Maka under his cap. Maka really thought that the guy was a creep, not only because his personality, but his eyes too. Magician was the first word to come. Fake Eibon...

She rose up.

"What is your business with me girl?" He asked while closing the book but still keeping it in his hands.

She patted her skirt but gave up because the mud would definitely not come off. Maka sighed and raised her hand in front of her as if saying -shake hands with me-.

"I need your help."

* * *

"SURPRISE ME!" Justin shouted while making his "I-have-devoted-my-life-to-you" pose.

"What?" Asura responded while raising his eyebrow. They were in a forest and Asura was standing 10 meters away from the praying monk, which apparently had headphones in his ears.

"I, the one who loves you more than anything, Death-scythe Justin, have arrived to your presence to tell you an advisory that Noah would like to meet you."

Asura stared at him a while in a blank state. Then he started to walk away. Justin got up from the ground and started running towards the Kishin. Asura stopped walking and stared the monk that was now right beside him. The older man was just about to open his mouth and say something when Justin shouted, really loud, straight into the Kishin´s ear,

"DEAR GOD PLEASE DON'T WALK AWAY! DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND HUMAN LANGUAGE? WELL THEN I SHALL EXPRESS MY MESSAGE TO YOU BY SIGN LANGUAGE!"

Asura raised his hand and put it on his ear. That definitely made some damage to his hearing system. But he didn't say anything. Instead of teaching this incredibly loud and annoying monk a lesson, Asura turned towards him only to find him performing some kind of a communication by his hands. Asura once again remembers his reasons to destroy this world. How can humans be in this level of intelligence? That's the level of a protozoan, Asura thought while still staring the monk.

"Are ya an idiot?" Came new voice from the bushes. Both men turned their heads towards the intruder. It happened to be Giriko. "Of course he ain't gonna understand. Ya stupid or something?" Justin's mouth shot open.

"You mean he can understand words?" Asura winced. Now the man was a little angry but his face showed no signs of it. Justin once again turned to face the annoyed Kishin while making a prayer kind of an act with his hands. "Well then dear god! Will you come with us?" and with saying that Justin raised his head and looked straight into his target. Giriko that almost remained as a spectator sighed and walked closer to the other two.

"Are ya an IDIOT?" He shouted and hit Justin's head with his foot that had transformed to a chainsaw's blade so that the monk had to fall to the ground. Giriko now completely satisfied about what he did, laid his eyes onto the staring Kishin. Giriko raised his one hand out from his jacket's pocket and raised two fingers up.

"Ya got 2 choices. 1. Come with us quietly or then, 2. Try to run away and get attacked by me who is right behind, and this guy here" He kicked Justin's head but the blond remained on the ground level. Giriko sighed.

"The second is a pain in the ass so I just ask ya to come quietly." Giriko's voice was maybe a little more loudly than usually. In fact it was bored and laid back but still... Asura said nothing. He stared the man that had dared to say something as stupid as that to the Kishin. He lowered his head a little, while opening his helmet, made from scarfs. By doing this, he could see them better.

Giriko unconsciously backed away a little. Maybe it was his battle instincts telling him that what he had just said was stupid, but also very threatening, and by no means could he win a fight one-on-one.

"Tell me..." Asura said narrowing his eyes a little,"Why should I obey your request?" Giriko's free hand (the one that wasn't in his jacket's pocket) raised itself a little. If the possible battle situation came, he would be able to guard against the first attack. He smiled a bit.

"You have absolutely no reason to obey, BUT we were told to try to convince you to come with us if we should spot you, and..." His smile widened a bit,"I think you know who made this request, now don't you?"

"Change your tone. I do not like the one you're using. It seems like as if you're trying to attack me." With that Giriko relaxed and took his more comfortable position.

Asura turned away and covered his head again. "Leave."

Justin got up from dirt. He wore a little dark expression on his face and his arm started to change to a part of guillotine. Giriko's hand began to transform into a chainsaw.

"Do you think we have any chances?" Giriko asked from Justin.

"No. If it's the worst situation, we'll get killed in no time."Justin answered. Girirko's smile widened so that it almost reached his ears.

"One reason for me to show you that, that's bullshit!" and right after that they launched themselves towards Kishin.

"_We have absolutely no chances at all."_

_

* * *

_

**Try to review. I love feedback.**

**17.2.2011 note: This chapter has been Beta'ed.**


	12. Passing to Book

**Beta: Otherguy14**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

Normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks __or then just this._

Chapter 12. Passing to book

"So you think I'll help you when you ask?" Noah said while a little chuckle was released from his mouth.

"I don't think. I know that you will." She said and sneered. Noah pressed his forehead against hers and let her look into his eyes.

"I will?"

"If not nicely, then I use force to make you cooperate."

"How? You don't have your friend with you."

"I'm pretty sure you're willing to help me since you let me in this castle."

"Good point." How had he forgotten that? Yes he had let the girl in the castle and was right now having an argument with the said girl. To help her or to not help her, which was it? She raised her hand.

"Hand over the damn book."

"I highly doubt that you can use it."

"Oh don't worry. I'm a quick learner."

"Well then I must be careful to NOT let you have the book." He said and put a hand over Eibon's book that was combined with his belt and the said belt was on his hip. A staring contest, oh yes, this was what he needed.

"You don't even know what you need." He said sarcastically.

"Yes, but I know where I'm going."

"That isn't going to help at all." He said and half closed his eyes. This girl was unbelievable. Not ignoring the fact the she had came here alone, let alone knowing the fact that he could collect her at any minute. Where did her confidence come from? He sighed and backed off.

"So you DO know when you have to behave." She smiled and crossed her arms. Noah was currently taking a support from a big pillar. He had lost. Surely the world was near its end if that happened. Sigh. Where was his useless servant when he needed him the most? Gopher was one of his favorite ways to drive unwelcome people away. Noah turned his head to take one last look.

"Do you have to sneer like that?"

Maka blinked, "Oh, you don't like it when people smile?"

"...No." Noah stood up firmly and started walking away. He had absolutely no intention to help this girl. The only useful thing she could do was to surrender and let him collect her, which was highly unlike because of her stubbornness.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Maka shouted from behind. When no answer came she ran to him and said, "Hey! I asked a quest-"

"Which I do not answer," he said calmly but raised the tone of his voice at the start of the sentence."Girl who do you think I am? I'm not some magician that you can come whenever you happen to have problems. Either you leave right now or then..." He raised his book. That was the other opinion. Maka's mouth was a little open and she frowned.

"You bastard..." she hissed.

"BUT, of course if you would like to use that 'force', now would be the time." Noah said sarcastically. He continued walking, Maka of course following and glaring the man. They reached an old wooden door. Noah opened the door and stepped inside. Maka stayed outside. She was staring the ground. 'Incapable of waiting', she thought. One step and she would be in that madman's room. Maka raised her head. She heard whispers.

"_Wings will get wet, bird can't fly. With its wings all on water, the bird can do nothing else but embrace herself. Poor bird. Your throat will get sore. Such a beautiful voice you had."_

Maka turned her head to her side and stared the no one that was there with her eyes half open.

"Good morning." Maka said. After that she heard giggles. Loud laugh. Maybe it was hallucination. Was it Asura? No, the voice belonged to a female.

"_Good morning to you too," _She heard it answer and look back. _The mirror sided reflection._

"How are you?" she said again. _Giggles..._

"_I am fine thank you. And you?" _Now Maka could clearly see that the one that she was staring had green eyes that had black lines under them. Hadn't that one slept well? And the question bothered her. Maybe here she was more exposure to the madness than she was outside.

"Who are you?"

No answer. It heard her heart's voice and she saw how its mouth curved to a sickening smile. After that...pressure, madness and that loud laugher that hit even harder than before. It resonated with the cold walls of the castle and then...nothing. Her pigtails flew up and then slow motion. Blackness. Black and white. Her hair came down real slow. Spartoi coat moved up to down but it reached the level it was before the incident, only after it had spoken and Maka had her eyes wide open. There it was nothing and still held nothing as everything.

"_But I am you."_

* * *

Justin's blade didn't meet flesh but ground.

'Where is he?' he thought when he realized that he hadn't hit. A scarf came fast and grabbed him by his throat and threw him to the ground.

"Worthless."

Justin gasped for air as the said scarf hadn't let go of its prey and made him fly against a tree. Giriko came from up and tried to cut the Kishin with his transformed arm but the arm was grabbed by a bone white other hand.

'I can't move my arm!' Giriko shouted in his mind. He tried to cut Asura's head with his transformed leg but was thrown back before anything touched anyone.

Then Kishin threw his head to the side, avoiding Justin's attack. The blond spun around when touching the ground and attacked again.

"Hopeless." Asura said. Justin's transformed arm was blocked by Asura's arm.

"Oh dear god, please accept this mortal punishment and listen to thou's words." Justin said while pushing even harder." Can't thou realize that thou sound stupid?" He asked while making a little sneer to the black haired demon god.

"In what way do I sound stupid?"

"Logic is needed in this world." Justin said and made a criticizing gesture, while jumping backwards to avoid another scarf that still came after him.

"You're being quite rude there" Asura said calmly and slowly.

Giriko jumped on the extended scarf and wielded his hand like a sword and tried, once again, to cut Asura's head off. Asura raised his left hand and made a red shield appear. Giriko's hand tried to cut through but it was no use. He was thrown back again. Asura made the scarf that was chasing after Justin come back. His enemies were panting a little.

"Only Shinigami is able to cut through, or destroy that shield. You cannot do it."

"Our lord's dead..." Justin whispered.

"Hm?" Kishin raised his head but his showed no interest. Justin rose up. "Our lord of Death is dead. It is a very delicate subject to everyone. Even to you..." Asura frowned. What was the monk getting on at? Of course he knew that Shinigami was dead. Everyone knew that...because all of them were there when _it _happened.

"_I will not forgive..."_

Asura was quiet but his eyes no longer showed any kind of an uncaring in them.

"_I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU!"_

It was as clear as yesterday, the happenings of that day. But he did not wish to dwell in them. Because everything was in there...

"Is that all you have to say?" the Kishin asked, venom in his voice. Giriko smiled. "Guess the big buddy has a weakness! HAH!"

"_ASURA!"_

The Kishin stood there. For once in a while, he did not feel the urge to fight, so he stood there quietly. Giriko's insults didn't reach his ears. He didn't hear anything.

"Giriko-san! Now's our chance!" Justin shouted. "Yeah, I know!" was the immediate reply. They launched themselves towards the unmoving Kishin. 'I don't know what happened inside his head but now's our only chance we're going to get!' Justin thought in his mind. But they were both confused. Did Shinigami's fate really bother him that much? Or was it something else that had happened but was blinded to the others...except him?

Justin's body transformed into a guillotine and it caught Asura's head into its execution zone. Giriko's left hand transformed once again to its original shape.

"IT'S OVER KISHIN!"

* * *

Maka's eyes snapped wide open. She looked around. No one but Noah was present. She began to feel uneasy and stood up.

"What's wrong?" Noah asked. He had once again let the girl do something he wasn't so proud of. He had let her into his own big chamber...

"He's in trouble..." She said quietly and walked around the big room. Noah looked her and what he saw first? Eyes filled with worry.

"Who's in trouble?"

"No...He's in trouble. Do I have to help him? No I can't, he would get mad...but..."

Now Noah was getting curious. It wasn't everyday thing when you saw this little angel, this worried over something. He moved closer and touched her shoulder, "Albarn?"

She quickly turned her head to him. "What?" Maka scowled. Noah was surprised. The previous worry was gone and was replaced by annoyance. "Let go." She said with a lousy low voice that was supposed to scare him off. It didn't work.

"Albarn."

"Yes?"

"Do you have a split personality?"

"What?" She said and made a -is this guy serious- face.

"You were talking about someone. Who?"

"Talking? Oh. You mean you have finally decided to help me?" She grinned. Noah raised an eyebrow. Did the girl not remember what she had said not even a minute ago? Noah let his hand slide off of her shoulder and stared her. Maybe teaming up with this girl wasn't so bad idea. 'I need to see which way things are going to progress, but I'm sure...' he once again laid his eyes to Maka that was now trying to speak to him, 'That this girl will play a major role in something that's to come.' Then he smirked.

"Girl I have chanced my mind." Maka's face went dumbfounded. Noah put his book away.

"I've decided to help you."

* * *

Kid stood up from his chair. He was now completely alone in death room. He took Shinigami's cloak and mask to his hands that were lying on the floor. Small windows in the ceiling showed that it was already night time in the outside world, but this was his world. His father's world, that he had gotten. He eyed the mask, it was his own. When he was a little child he had hoped to get to wear his father's mask but that dream was now long shattered. He clenched his teeth together.

"Kid?"

Kid turned to face the zombie that was now standing under one of the red guillotines. "You don't look okay."

Kid half closed his eyes and stared the zombie but did not answer. Sid always saw how Kid's features showed pride and then, as always, there was this feeling. It always came. The feeling that he was looking down on someone.

"Was it really wise to let them go like that?" Sid said calmly. "This can turn into something ugly."

"I know..."

The mirror behind Kid was now like water when a rock was thrown in. Waves emitted from nothing. That really suits the young Shinigami. Kid started to get dressed into the black cloak and was just drawing his hand in when the zombie commented again.

"Are you going too?"

"No..."

"Well then, why get dressed?" Kid put his mask on and stood there a while, letting the zombie stare at him with its hearts content. Then he began to walk to the never ending graveyard leaving the zombie behind. The nonexistent wind blew and made his cloak dance with it.

When doing nothing Kid thought, he thought a lot actually. His father's death seemed strange to him. Too strange.

"I will know why you decided to leave this world behind...father."

* * *

**With Noah and Maka:**

"Say...If you need someone who can rip space off or make a wound to it, you have to ask someone else." Noah said bluntly.

"Who?" Maka asked.

"Unfortunately or fortunately, that someone is right here." He answered and patted his book.

"So I have to go in there and find that bloody nobody while being sure that you aren't just saying this cuz' your twisted collector's nature?"

"Exactly."

5 seconds, and both of them sighed.

"This isn't going to work at all..." Maka said with blank eyes. "There's just no way that I would trust you or you me...being enemies is tough..."

Actually, Noah thought exactly the same thing. Even he wasn't so sure that he would let the girl out of the book when she found what she was looking for.

"I got an Idea!" Maka suddenly shouted, making Noah jump at her voice.

"What if I turn to your side? I mean, change sides. Then you can't lock me up." She said excited.

"Are you serious?" He commented. Why would he betray her friends for this kind of little thing? Did she really mean to come in to his side just to get her partner? Noah was left confused when Maka grabbed his both shoulders and said kinda...was that smart or stupid?

"Now you can let me in." She said. Noah stared at her.

"Alright, go to the middle of the room." Maka obeyed and walked there."This might feel a little strange and all but it's not dangerous. But be warned," Maka raised her eyes, When you reach the final destination the possibility that you become mad is 100% sure if _that thing _catches you."

"I worry about those kinds of things when I get there." She said and smiled. Noah opened the book and it was over in instant. He instantly put the book above the girl and pushed it to the ground, making the girl get sucked in. After that he stood up leaving the book alone.

The book was now on the castle's floor staying there, opened, for all the world to see. Noah was just about to take the book up and close when another gushing sound was heard. Smoke was everywhere but he was so close to the book that he saw what happened. Something appeared right above the book. Its legs didn't catch the ground but its face was looking into his eyes. Noah was frozen.

Right now he was just bending his back and one hand almost touching the book. No position for fighting. Red eyes stared at him with surprised look in them and black hair hovered in the hair, and then just like that, red wavelength that carried madness in it, shot right through his whole being, but only for that second, because it had appeared above the book, the next thing Noah saw was how it got sucked in. When the smoke was gone he was left alone again. He was so shocked that for seconds he didn't move, but then he fell backwards.

"Was that...who I think it was?" was spoken in whisper. He snapped out of his state and took the book quickly. He opened it. The pages weren't different but the feeling that came from the inside was awful even to himself.

'That girl's in great danger!'

* * *

**Inside the book of Eibon:**

White...all made from white.

"Good day milady." Maka opened her eyes and stared what was in fron of her. Nothing. Except a weird looking creature that had its nose bended down.

"I am in a book of Eibon, right?"

"Yes, outdeed, indeed."

What a strange being. Maka looked around. Writings that were written with black ink hovered in the air and was she floating in the air? How was that possible?

"Who are you?"

"Milady wants to know? Very well, I am the table of contents, TOC, and I am your guide in here. What does milady seek?"

"Someone who can rip off space."

"Excuse me?"

"I said someone who can rip off space. Noah told me that I would find someone in here."

"ooh, Milady's quite informed. Yes indeed there's such a person in this book. But does milady know where she's going?"

"What?"

"I and this world will let anyone pass who knows where one's going."

Maka sighed. Toc was hovering a few feet away from her.

"Look. I don't know who it is that I'm going to meet and I don't where that person is but you're the contents so you should know. Show me the way, this is urgent."

'Her eyes blaze such a fierce green color. She's determined...' Toc stared at the girl in front of itself.

"Very well." and a hole appeared."I will lead you through the 7 sins of mortal world, please step in." Maka nodded and stepped into the first level, but when she was at the other side she did not see Toc around. The portal was still not closed so she looked what was going on with the other.

"Are you coming or not?" She finally asked. Toc had its back facing her, and was quiet.

"Milady it seems like there's another quest coming." Toc said and turned to face her.

"Huh?" Maka blinked. She had a bad feeling about that.

"I will come, but please wait a while, outdeed, indeed." and the portal started to collapse.

"Wa..WAIT! Who's coming?" Maka shouted when trying to see what was happening to the other. It seems like the wall was the only thing collapsing.

"God's coming." and the portal closed. Maka was left at the first level. 'God? Who god? Noah?' she thought but couldn't grasp the situation, and for bonus, the air here was bad...

"Guess I just have to wait then..." She said and sat down. (all of you who read soul eater should know what the first level, Lust, looks like so I'm not going to describe it. If there is someone who doesn't know, the chapter is 71-2 or 72 (they are the same) different manga reading places put them up differently. Read that chapter and you'll know.)

* * *

**With TOC:**

First it was quiet. Yes it was always quiet. But the figure that stood in front of it was no serene.

"Have you decided to pay a visit or have you been captured?" Toc said slowly. It was not wise to aggrivate this man. Toc knew it because aggravating this warlord always brought difficulties.

"…. Who was it...that you led to lust just now?" The counterpart spoke as slowly as Toc itself.

"Another one who seeks someone," Shadow started covering Toc's face, "Why have you come..."

The man's being stood there high and mighty but didn't seek anything. It was impossible that Noah had captured another great old one. Especially this one, Toc itself, had no idea how he had gotten the one that was now being held in the last level.

"Why...am I here?" he asked as the head protector opened revealing two crimson red eyes. The Kishin's long scarves hovered in the air as if in a form of nonchalance. 'So even he, himself has no idea...' Toc said in its mind.

"I don't know, but it's been a while since your last visit, outdeed, indeed."

"I wait. I think he'll let me out, and if not," He glanced at Toc, "he'll know the consequences."

"As you say, outdeed, indeed." Toc raised its head, "ooh, I have an idea."

"...What now?"

"Would you like to follow that human that I led to lust? It's better than sitting in here-"

"It is too boring to follow a human if it's not meant for food." Asura said bluntly, interrupting Toc. But it didn't mind because it knew that he had always been like that.

"Very well then, now if you'll excuse me." and Toc disappeared, leaving the black haired man there. He watched the writings move as if they were snakes, but the white dimension went through no changes. He closed his head protector again.

"Still...what kind of human steps into this book willingly..."

At that moment Maka was going through the portal to the third level. Unaware of the other's presence, they both ignored the obvious feeling that resonated from the other. They decided to let it be, because they never even wanted to realize how close the other really was.

"Welcome to level 3."

* * *

**17.2.2011 Note. This chapter has been Beta'ed.**


	13. As the salvage sees fit

**Beta: Otherguy14**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

Normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks __or then just this._

Chapter 13. As the salvage sees fit

"_You are no fragment of anyone, nor are you meaningful._

_You're a plain nobody."_

Tired and confused...

He should sleep. Yes, he didn't remember when it was the last time he had a peaceful sleep, and dreams. Asura half opened his red eyes, crossed his arms and floated in the air. 'Peaceful', if one didn't count those moving letters. But they made no sound so it was okay to sleep. 'Have I ever slept?' He asked himself. Did something bother him, because when he closed his eyes again he found that they were open.

"This is stupid..." he said and returned to a standing position. 'No walls to lean to, no corners to hide, no doors as exit...' He narrowed his eyes, 'It will always be one screwed up book.'

"Eibon! Put me to somewhere where I can sleep!" he shouted and frowned. No answer. How long it had it been since he was here last time? 800 hundred years...That's a long time.

White

That color was annoying. It seemed like it had yet to be created. This page.

'This is the index...' he thought again. As if he didn't remember that. He stared at the nonexistent sky or ceiling. Index doesn't contain the story. It contains the chapters of the story, and the chapters contain the letters that make the story.

"Put me to sleep..." he said but quietly. Agony? No. It was not one of those emotions. Happiness? No. Neither that one. Confusion? Yes. That it was. Why was he here? Did this have a purpose? Was there fear? Of course there was fear. He knew there was another one in here, but for what? Asura scowled. Disgusting.

* * *

**Outside:**

'This is bad...' Noah sweated a little. 'What am I going to do with this?'

Yes. Albarn had gone into the book and right after that Kishin had accidentally fallen into the book...

"This is really, really, really bad...she'll get killed for sure! If not killed, then tortured, limbs scattered all around and blood..." Blue lines appeared above him. This wasn't good at all. Should he ask some random person to go in and confirm that everything was okay? No! Absolutely NO! They would go mad in a second...

"Where are Giriko and Justin by the way?" Noah asked himself and eyed the door that led to his room. Surely they were doing something stupid, but he still needed them. "I guess I have to call them." Noah said and pulled a mobile phone, out of his pants' pocket. It was black and had weird decorations on it. 'I'll never get used in using this thing...' He thought, and dialed a number on the screen and tried calling.

"_The person who you're trying to call cannot answer. Please leave a message."_ constantly repeated every time before he even tried to hope anything. Noah stared the useless phone right in his hand.

"What the hell's he doing, that damn bastard?" He mainly asked himself and gave a death glare to the phone, "This thing's useless." and he put the phone back to his pocket.

Silence...He had no idea what events came forward because Giriko and Justin laid half dead in the bushes at somewhere, and did not have the energy to answer.

"What should I do with this?" Noah asked himself again and frowned while being nervous and sweaty.

* * *

**Meanwhile in the book:**

"This is chapter 3. Envy." Toc said. Maka eyed around. "So do I have to beat someone?" She asked and raised her fists up."Or do I just have to run all the way to the end?"

"That won't be necessary. You will just stand there and the book will do the rest. "Toc answered. The girl had many questions. The trip to this level was a pain in the ass because she just kept asking, and asking and asking...about lot of things...

"So I just wait." Maka said happily and sat down.

After fifteen minutes there was nothing. Toc just hovered in the as this was an everyday thing. Maka was bored.

After 20 minutes, still no had come, Maka was getting impatient. Toc said nothing.

And, when the time limit of 30 minutes went over, Maka burst all of her feelings out.

"What the hell! Hey!" She turned her head and glared Toc, "No one's coming! I CAN'T WAIT here anymore! Please! Just go on with the levels!"

"Are you sure you don't have attachment to envy?" It asked peacefully.

"As if! There's no one to stay here for!"

Toc sighed, "Well then. Let's keep going shall we."

Maka was just about to walk in when she felt something. She turned her head and watched as there was nothing. 'Is someone watching me?'

Toc had noticed a long time ago that they were not alone, and the individual that was watching them just decided not to show itself. Clever. Jealousy that hides itself, envy that doesn't come to the surface. Apparently the girl was good when it came to masking her emotions.

"Could milady wait here a little?" Toc asked and turned his head to Maka. Maka blinked. "Well, yes I can...why?"

"I am going to check one thing, just to make sure." It said slowly and started flying towards the gaze. Maka was left alone, again. After all she just wanted to do was to save Soul from god knows where. Maka blinked again. Wow, did she really miss Soul that much? No, no, no, she shook her head. It was something else. She felt quite sure.

"Oh damn..."

Suddenly she heard a crumbling sound. It was enough to get Maka back to earth from her thoughts. She looked down when she heard another grumbling noise, just to see her stomach. Maka sweat dropped, 'guess I'm hungry again.' But damn there wasn't anything to eat. Nothing. Except if she chose to try eating air.

After 15 minutes:

'I'm becoming annoyed.' She thought and the atmosphere thought so too. She had a big angry mark on her head and there were few on her face too.

"Alright!" Maka finally shouted angrily."What the fuck is taking so long?" She stared the space that didn't answer. So she started shouting.

"TOC~! GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUT HERE~!" and when shouting, Maka really doubted that it reached the thing that she wanted it to.

* * *

**With Toc:**

"TOC GET YOUR LAZY OUT HERE!" echoed to the thing that Maka had originally wanted to deliver the message to. Toc turned and watched as the words flew to its own nose.

"..."

_Chuckle, "God Gracious, she's always like that."_

"Yes. It appears that Milady has a quick temper."

Another chuckle was heard, _"Yes. But that is one of her charm points."_

Toc turned to face the individual that had just spoken. "Aren't you supposed to go and test her."

"_Is that a question?" _that someone asked with a very amused tone pressed under it.

"Just a sentence, but you can say or answer." Toc hovered a little, right to left making the hem of the fabric that it was wearing go with it. "I have something to ask you about after all."

"_My..."_ Was it a woman or was it a man? You could recognize eyes printed to the short black hair, and that ever fading existence anywhere. It was the hallucination itself.

"_Well, go on little one. Ask the things you wish to." _Asura's voice was sweet and it seemed like the soft tone he was using really was the one he used always_. _He was sitting on the air, his head leaning against a hand that kept it up. But what made the real difference was the cloth that he was wearing. Not his scarves or his suit. A black thing that was similar to Shinigami's cloak, but it was emitting a really thin black smoke from its edges.

"_You have woken me up. Ask your questions now" _He said quietly while closing his eyes

"Why did you come if you have no intention to make the test? Why does that girl envy you? How does she know you?"

Asura sighed, _"She knows me because she was the one that created me. The reasons for her envy, I do not know. I do not want to slow her down so I'm not doing anything. There. Is that all?"_

Toc was quiet. It really didn't seem to matter what he was going to ask. He wasn't going to get direct answers. "Yes. I have nothing else to say to you. Disappear from here."

Hallucination smirked. He spread his arms and the cloak widened, and as his feet touched the ground he disappeared with the black smoke.

Toc stared at the spot where the man had been. 'Don't come back.'

* * *

Toc flew there where it had come from. To Maka, who was in fact cursing its existence itself when Toc arrived. Bloody something, she said. Toc didn't listen very much anyway.

"It appears that we can head for the next level."

Maka scowled. She wanted to get this done as soon as possible. It was awfully boring AND annoying. WRATH wasn't an exception. As red volcanoes erupted and the whole area was red, it made her mad. Really mad. Surprisingly the color of the area didn't affect Toc at all. Being table of contents was really nice, wasn't it?

Pride didn't have any effect neither. Yes, instead of Toc, Maka was raging with her pride to get somehow more close to her almost perfect mother. In Sloth, lvl 6, she just fell asleep.

"Is Milady really sure that she wants to fall a sleep?" Toc asked while staring Maka who decided to use the most expensive looking bed to sleep.

"Get lost in my world." Maka groaned in the bed and fell asleep.

'She's already over the line!' Toc shouted in its mind and sat on one of the many comfy stairs. Toc was just there. It really didn't, couldn't believe that the trip had been so exhausting. Toc then noticed the sound of writing. It looked up to the ceiling and saw letters. Guess it was time for him to get a little worried out there, but it really didn't think Noah was one to worry.

"_Is everything ok?"_

Toc eyed the sleeping girl and sighed. "Yes, at least from my point of view."

"_Is Asura there? I know I can check it but he's unpredictable. He could be anywhere at any time so..."_

Toc sighed, "Do not worry. Nothing is gonna happen. As my new owner you should know that."

"_Just let's get the things done quickly. I don't want to drag this on longer than have to."_

"I think that is the least of your worries you have now. How do you think that we're going to let her speak to him?" Toc asked once again. It, itself was worried for the girl. In the last page was one of the great old ones. It, that thing could kill them all if wanted. Except Asura who in his stead would kill it.

"_She doesn't need that one. She needs Excalibur."_

"Who was eaten by the black imp of ink because of being so annoying. Honestly I'm glad that happened. It was a favor for the world."

"_You're not funny. What if they meet?"_

"Who?" Toc eyed the sleeping girl from its chair.

"_If the Kishin and that thing meet, there'll be a battle. INSIDE the book, and that's something to worry about."_

No one said anything after that. Toc let the girl sleep her peaceful dreams and Noah watched from the outside and kept staring the kishin at the very first page.

She opened her eyes and got up. Maka really didn't feel like staying in that dream for long. Black Star was forcing mangoes down her throat and Soul was forcing her to dance while eating. She grabbed Toc from its throat and got a little "GAH" sound but didn't care.

"You should have woken me up." Maka raised Toc to her eye level and smiled."Do you have any idea how much time we wasted?"

"Mi..milady seemed like she wanted to sleep so..."

Maka let go of its throat and let Toc catch its breath.

"How many hours have I been here? Inside this book?" She asked.

"The clock is 8.A.M right now so, 18 hours."

"That long?" She said surprised and fully opened eyes. Wow, she really didn't catch the flow of the time in here.

Toc opened the last portal. The last loop hole in the pages. Toc mumbled about something but Maka didn't catch it. She stepped in and out when she was on the other side. She turned her head as she hovered in the white space.

"Aren't you gonna come?"

"I will not go past this point." Toc answered like it was an everyday question. Maka blinked and frowned. "What? Hey what's going on?" She demanded to know and grabbed the other side of the portal. She was now floating horizontally.

"I am sorry Milady and please be careful." It said when the portal suddenly closed. She didn't float around anymore but stayed put. That's when she began to fall. Maka's right hand tried to reach something but couldn't. Those were the last words she would ever hear from the table of contents. She wouldn't meet it again, she wouldn't come into this book again. She kinda knew it. The feeling of falling was familiar too. She turned around in the air and stared down. Pure white and in the middle there was...something moving?

"What the heck is that thing...Kinda like-BUGEH"

A sudden stop.

It came like someone had kicked her stomach with quite a power. Maka held her stomach, cursed something and twisted in pain. After trying to regain her balance, she got up while still holding her stomach.

Why was the last chapter nothing? It was greed right? Yeah. Of course it was since she had already gone through the other sins. So who decided that this sin was the worst? It kinda made sense. Humans needed greed to survive but too much of it can 'cause you to go mad or kill yourself.

Now for the other problem. She can't walk in this space. Hovering up and down made her sick and a long journey with her conditions? Not so tempting. Maka let go of her stomach and eyed the surroundings. Not that there was anything to look at. Right below her was the only living thing she could see. A black imp of ink. Creative, huh.

"Hey! Can you hear me?" She shouted. No answer, but it made some movements. Maka couldn't really describe it but she felt like she knew the wavelength that thing had. Someone very familiar to her...but who? She felt like she drawn towards to that thing, like it was ready to eat her or something.

Maka's eyes widened. She remembered who it was. It was him. And it was here again. She clutched her chest and tried to forget, but once again she hears her laughing like a maniac.

"_REMEMBER IT! It's the Kishin right? Isn't it him?"_

"NO!" She shrieked and fell over to her knees. She didn't want to remember him, she didn't want Asura to own her soul, she didn't want to offer herself to him...it was wrong. Maka gritted her teeth together and tried to withstand the pain that her soul gave her.

"_**Well what do we have here."**_

Maka's soul calmed down immediately. An overwhelming presence was just right there. She raised her head and the shadow that had spoken moved closer.

"_**A human..."**_

She was still on her knees but not because of pain. It was because the thing, right in front of her was simply something that took one's breath away. First thing she felt was nothing. Then, when the black creature seemed like it wanted to take a better look and came closer, came...kinda like disgust was it?

"_**You are a nomad, yet you have incredible amount of madness inside of you...no, I cannot even call it madness can I."**_

'What the heck is this thing?' Maka thought and backed away. He didn't want to be touched by the likes of this one. "Shut up! Don't any closer!" she shouted and it stopped.

"_**Why do I need to stop when you're just another one that's going to end up dead in here?"**_

What was he saying? She would die. Here? Maka gathered all of her courage and stood up.

"YOU are going to stop, and YOU are going to show me how I can save someone from somewhere where I cannot reach. And I am NOT going to die! Got that?" she glared the other fiercely, and it seemed to notice that the glow in her soul was not fear but nothing else but a human emotion neither. It was quiet a while until it spoke,

"_**Little one, is it for the sake of your friend that you have come?"**_

Maka blinked. Of course it was. She didn't get this thing at all.

"_**I am no friend, nor do I am here to help you. I'm sincerely here but I do not move from here, not until I can do otherwise."**_

"Listen up there! I don't care what you say but you're going to help me!"

"_**Why should I...?" **_it asked very slowly.

"Why...? BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WHO CAN!" she shouted really irritated by the thing in front of her. Her soul had no fear what so ever for it. Only disgust.

"_**..."**_

"ANSWER ME!" She wouldn't cry. Her voice sounded that she was close to tears. Desperation. But she would not cry!

"_**Girl, what are you misunderstanding..? You were reassured to know that there was someone for you to look for help. What you're looking right now, isn't the form of help you are searching. It is another great old one just as I am."**_

"Wh..What are you talking about?"

When it moved above Maka, she could see just how big the thing was. As the black liquid began to fall onto her, she could feel the madness radiating from it. Her eyes widened. 'At this rate I'll be consumed...' She backed off a little but the stuff just kept falling onto her.

"_**I'll show you. Speak only then when you have made up your mind..."**_

Why didn't she move? She should move right now! Out of the way. But the liquid soon reached her legs. It didn't climb up like the black blood did in her dream.

"S..Stop..." She managed to whisper. But she knew better than anyone else that it didn't work.

"_**That is not very convincing."**_

Maka closed her eyes and tried to keep them as they were. How had it come down to this? She just wished to save her partner...But that wasn't the first person that was in her mind.

"_**You are no fragment of anyone, nor are you meaningful.**_

_**You're a plain nobody."**_

Stop! She was needed! Shibusen needed her, her papa needed her, everyone needed her! She was the one that saved Chrona from madness, she was the one that accepted Soul without any regrets she was the one that...what...WHAT was she?

"_**That is the beginning. Once you understand that you'll-"**_ a pause.

"What?" She asked after the dramatic pause.

"_**NOOOOOO!"**_ Maka had to cover her ears as the thing suddenly wailed. _**"NO MORE!" **_but when she did she could also hear something. 'What is this?'

_Excalibur~. Excalibur~._

_I'm from United Kingdom, I'm looking for him, I'm going to California._

_Excalibur~. Excalibur~._

_I'm from United Kingdom, I'm looking for him, I'm going to California._

_Excalibur~. Excalibur~._

_I'm from United Kingdom, I'm looking for him, I'm going to California._

_Excalibur~. Excalibur~._

_I'm from United Kingdom, I'm looking for him, I'm going to California._

"_**STOP!" **_"STOP!" Maka and the great old one screamed in agony. And just in time to make things even more complicated, a white furry looking thing appeared out of nowhere particular and said:

"FOOLS!"

Maka could only stare with a dumbfounded face. Wasn't that the thing Hiro had brought to School, and tried to show off but got annoyed because the thing's sneezing?

"Good Morning my friends!" Excalibur said with American accent.

"_**It's not good morning. How did you get out?"**_ It asked while making a miniature version of itself to stand in front of Excalibur.

"Shall I refresh your memory with an explanation of my powers? But of course I will. I have the ability to cut through any kind of dimension and connect it to another. Of course there are no guarantees that you end up in a dimension you wished for. But my powers are great. Far beyond your comprehension. Oh how I miss the time when we played tag with the rest of the warlords..-sniff-."

"_**...I don't remember playing tag with you, or the rest of us playing tag with you ever. That's your pathetic daydream that you wish to make reality. Get friends of your age."**_

"That maybe but I am still a special kind of a weapon, and where do you expect me to get friends? Hmph, I simply do not need any of those. I am known as the man who likes to travel around, and I have no real roots anywhere, so spare me from the friend talk. As great as I am, I only am capable of being with the pure-hearted guys, like you were when we were still friends. Oh I want those old times back."

"_**I don't remember you being my friend ever. I don't even have the slightest memory of you. Who are you again?"**_

Silence.

Maka couldn't believe it. As the two continued their little quarrel, she decided to not get involved. But hey, didn't the white flurry thing say that it could cut through dimensions? Was the weird looking animal that was annoying to the extreme, the one that was going to help her? She decided to open her mouth despise the conflict between the two.

"Um...Excuse me..." she said with a low voice. Nothing happened.

"Excuse me..." a little louder this time. There was a little tick on her head when she got the thing that no one was listening her. She breathed her lungs full with air and finally shouted: "COULD YOU PEOPLE JUST SHUT UP!" They stopped fighting immediately and both of them turned their heads towards her.

"Look here!" She shouted once again and walked to the other two. She then grabbed Excalibur's stick and did a "Stick Maka Chop."

"Look you there!" She pointed Excalibur with her finger. "Let me wield you for a second!"

"Hey, Girl what are you-" Maka didn't allow him to speak anymore but took a hold of his hand and Excalibur, out of pure habit, transformed into his sword form.

"It's not so hard." Maka stated after covering her eyes from the blinding light that Excalibur created when changing shape.

"_**Are you seriously going to take him?"**_

Maka turned her head and sneered, "Well now you feel like you decided to like me?"

"_**Just get it over with."**_ It said again and let the girl out of its inside. It was all white again. Maka stared at the Great old one and was amazed how big it seemed, again.

"Where do you want to go girl?" Excalibur asked. Maka turned her attention to the sword now.

"Let's test you!" She then said with a bright smile." Can you go to the index?"

And Noah couldn't believe what he heard. A cold chill ran through his spine and he said with a sobbing voice, "D-don't do it..."

Her mouth made a 0, and she swiftly turned around using her left foot and wielded Excalibur down the air. A big rip to the space was made. The Warlord watched as the girl moved very swiftly. Maybe the girl needed something to carry around. Maybe it was already inside of her head that she must have something to cut with. From her expression, the answer was yes.

"I did it!" Maka's smile widened even more but when she raised her head, she couldn't help but be absolutely astonished. Instead of a bright smile, shadow was over her eyes and her face was semi-realistic, same with the warlord and with the transformed Excalibur.. A little sweat ran from her forehead to her chin.

Asura stared them with wide eyes. He was still hovering but he was upside down, had his hands and legs crossed and quite hovering. His black hair also was hanging down.

No one said a thing. It was quite awkward actually.

* * *

Outside the book, Noah couldn't help but squirm in pain. Why did she have to go, of all things, to the index? Now there would be fight, now his book would take some serious damage, now the warlord he spent so much time and effort to get would die! Or then...Look at the bright side! It may be able to get away, and he could drop Asura out of there.

"Yo. What'cha doing?" Noah heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Justin and Giriko! Thank god you're here!" He said with a happy voice. Giriko was giving Justin his shoulder for support and had the other hand on Justin's hip, to make it easier for him to walk. But Giriko just looked pissed off.

"What happened?" Noah asked and blinked. It wasn't an everyday sight to see Giriko to help Justin.

"PTHYI!" Giriko spat to ground right beside him. Justin laughed, "ahaha, we had a little fight on our way here."

"Wild boar?" Noah asked with a pure face of an innocent person who doesn't know a thing.

"No ya fucking Idiot we met this little thing you wanted to collect and then we fought and got beaten up, BUT, lucky or not we managed to send that bastard here with your paper."*

Noah winced. What did he just say? What did that damn bastard just say? It was these bastards' fault that his book is in the brink of destruction? Giriko placed Justin on top of one of the rocks that were making the lovely furniture feeling in Noah's room.

"So ya got something to say? Ya called us." Giriko said and flung his own mobile phone with his index finger. Noah's reply was just right off from the bat and it really seemed like he couldn't care any less anymore, except that he would have eternal grudge against Giriko.

"Yes. If you would have come right then when I had called you, our situation wouldn't be like this." and he handed Giriko the book of Eibon. A question mark appeared above Giriko's head, but soon disappeared after he took a look, and was replaced by a face from American comics like superman.

"So what do you think?" Noah asked with sparkles around him and a kind smile. "Do you think that this is your fault? Do you? Do you have any idea that the one you sent here was the Kishin? Did you? Is it your fault that right 10 seconds before Albarn had went into the book to get Excalibur, Kishin appeared above my book and was sucked in? Is it your fault that soon they're gonna start a war in there? Is this situation your fault Giriko-_san_?"

And Giriko couldn't say a thing. Justin raised his right hand up."May I ask where Gopher-san is?"

"Why should I know where my useless servant is when I need him?"

"Say..."Giriko started, "I already know what you wanna say but...do you want me to correct this situation?"

"But of course." Noah said with a serious expression again. So in the other hand, Giriko just had no choice.

* * *

She didn't say anything, Excalibur didn't say anything, the two warlords didn't say a thing. Silence.

'Wha..What is this situation?' Maka thought while trying to understand it. There must be a camera somewhere. Yeah. Noah was making her see illusions right?

"_**Asura..."**_ Asura raised his eyes to look at the one who spoke, bu he didn't say a thing. The other warlord raised his black hand that didn't really look like a hand, but a stick that had been put into a mud monster and was now too all in that inky thing. Maka had to make a conclusion that maybe it was blood.

_**"Prepare to die."**_ said the icy cold voice and the hand was brought down. Maka shielded herself with Excalibur who for once, said nothing. There were now many small cracks in the space that she had cut. Maka quickly jumped back, and looked to see that the others were ok. Her eyes couldn't find Asura anywhere. 'Where is he?' She began to get a little worried.

"_**You'll pay for what you've done."**_ and another blast was heard again. Where was it hitting? Maka didn't get it. Asura wasn't there...Wait. She squinted, and saw him. Asura was just above that thing. He used his scarves to black the attacks, and jumped around. 'Why doesn't he use his weapon?'

"Girl," Excalibur suddenly said. Maka was startled a bit."What?"

"Use this change to get us out from here. Wield me and we'll get out."

"Ah, of course..." and then there was a big blast. Maka shrieked a little and was blown away. So he was using Vajra, that bastard. Maka's hand let go of Excalibur and the sword flew away. She herself was slammed to the ground (let's just imagine that the endlessness ends somewhere) and she coughed up blood.

Asura dodged the other's attacks and shot one blast from Vajra. That would almost do the job. He saw how his opponent had only half of itself left. This one was weak. The Kishin raised his hand to hit it, but stopped when he heard a shriek. Asura turned his head and lowered his hand. After the thin smoke cleared out a little he could see that the blast he had shot had blown the girl away. His scarves that covered his head weren't there and the red eyes were blazing with their crimson color.

"_**You..You won't get away with this...DO YOU HEAR ME, ASURA!" **_He quickly turned his head to his opponent, but the hand hit its target. That's what you get when you don't pay attention, he thought as he flew to the ground. There wasn't any ground so he just kept on falling, but stopped when he was at the kind of a place where he could clearly see. The girl was not unconscious, just a little dizzy since she hit her head. The thing he was a little worried about was that there was a lot of blood coming out from her head.

A black arm once again tried to harm him but the kishin dodged. He grabbed it and sent an electric shock that contained madness in it to the other warlord. The other started shrieking and screaming. Asura let the hand go and walked over to Maka. He turned her over by kicking her to her ribs. She made a pained noise and opened her eyes. They were a little cloudy.

"Well who do we have here...?" She said sarcastically and sneered, "The great Kishin himself." Asura didn't answer.

"_**Do you know that girl?"**_ was a dunned question from the other. It was crawling on the ground, and you could still see as crimson electricity ran through it. Asura turned his head towards the other again. _**"Die."**_

Asura's eyes widened. There was a white light that spread quickly. The bastard was going to blow them to the other world. He looked the girl. She had hurt her legs, he could see that from the bruises.

"Well I am in debt to you." He said and took a hold of Maka's hand.

* * *

Justin sat really formally and had his hands on his lap as he watched Giriko walk to the book. Suddenly Noah gasped. "GIRIKO DON'T GO IN THERE!" he shouted, and Giriko stopped. "Wha..?" "GET AWAY FROM THAT BOOK!" Noah shouted again, ran to Giriko and dragged him away from the book. Justin watched white light engulfed the book and spread to the room.

"Dear lord," Were his words as the light engulfed them.

* * *

"Kid!"

"What is it Nyugus? Did something happen?" Kid asked from the panting nurse.

"We..We got a signal! It's a heck of an explosion!" She stated panting.

"What? An explosion of what?" He asked again and rose up from his chair. He was wearing his regular Black clothes this time.

"Well...We don't know. It's coming from Europe."

"Europe?" Kid raised his eye brow. Why was there a massive explosion in Europe?

"You might find this interesting, so I'll tell you this now..." Nyugus changed her tone.

"What is it?"

"It has the same kind of a wavelength or a feeling that the Kishin carries." Kid's eyes widened.

"Contact Spartoi immediately!" He strode out from death room, carrying a serious expression on his face.

"Understood!" Nyugus said and did an army greeting before disappearing from his sign. What was he planning now, that damn Asura...

* * *

"Alright! I'm going to drop you!" Someone said in a very annoyed voice. She half opened her eyes. She knew it was the real Asura this time. Getting carried in bridal style, and the one carrying you was the Kishin. Maka sneered and pressed her head against his chest as he was walking somewhere.

"Out of all things I got you..." She let out a sigh. A little bit of blood came running from her vertex to her forehead and from there to her cheek. There was actually lot of blood coming from her head.

"Well feel free to cry if I do not please you." Asura said sarcastically. He was being an ass and Maka didn't add anything to that. She tried to feel her legs but couldn't. She smirked.

"What are you smiling?" He spatted out really rudely. She kept smiling as she began to feel dizziness take over. She was already dying.

"Nothing...you smell good..." the rest of the sentence was probably caused by the fact that she had lost quite a lot of blood.

"Wha..Hey." The girl was beginning to get heavier than she already was, so he guessed that she had fallen asleep. Asura thought it was pretty funny to fall asleep while leaning to your enemy. He wouldn't do that even if he had to die. He stopped walking and turned his head to look at the scenery behind him. The big explosion pretty much destroyed everything that was close enough. The castle was in ruin, but the forest was ok, since there was that sand area between it and the castle.

'That must have been seen from somewhere.' The Kishin thought and sweat dropped. He would have hard times in the near future. And then there was this, His eyes stared at the problem in his hands. Should he really drop her? Her friends would find her real soon. The least it can take can be a day...or week...or a month...

Maybe he shouldn't leave her here. She was wounded. Should he give her back to the living corpses that were in the ruins?

'I just leave her here.' He thought quickly and laid the girl down right under a tree. Asura started walking away. Should he really leave her? She would be just fine. She can manage, somehow. Asura stopped walking and turned around. He stared her. Then he extended one of his scarves and picked up the girl. He didn't say anything when he slowly walked into the bushes that were still wet from the morning and afternoon rain.

* * *

*- The paper Giriko was talking about was the transportation paper Noah's group uses to teleport themselves. It is seen in action in the chapter 61 where justin uses it to escape marie and Stein.

When writing this...THE INTERNET DIDN'T WORK! Gosh, I really don't know what words I should put in that Black old one's mouth...

BTW: Thanks for all the reviews, story alerts and favorites! I really appreciate them!

Please review. Anonymous readers too! I want that review count goes at least up to 35 until I upload again! (I think it's 29 now, so 6 more!)

EXTRA:

Asura: Isn't it kinda pain in the ass to call the great old one a black thing or thing or it?

Maka: Yeah. I thought the same!

Asura: Let's give it a name.

The great old one: I don't want to be named by you!

Maka: Shut up!

Asura: You're the great old one so how about...tgoo?

Tgoo: That ain't even a name!

Maka: Really? I think Mary or Magdalena would suit it better...I already bought some ribbons too.*shows the red, pink and blue.*

Asura: NO! It's clearly a boy! He's going to be Jesus the second or Junior!

Maka: HEY, AT LEAST JESUS HAD A FACE!

Tgoo sat quietly in the corner and was crying his/her eyes out, while having his/her great inky body decorated with the ribbons Maka had bought, and trying not to pay attention to the two persons that were having a fight that should he/she be Bentham or Magdalena

**17.2.2011 Note: This chapter has been Beta'ed.**


	14. as the sky falls

**Beta: Otherguy14**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

Normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks __or then just this._

Chapter 14. as the sky falls...

_It was as if the sky was made from glass that shattered._

Ox was currently staring at a great crater. It was very, very large and deep. It was a miracle itself that the forest was left unscratched.

"So what the heck happened here?" He asked from Jack who was standing a few feet away from him.

"No idea. But that was one hell of an explosion." She answered. If it was some kind of a weapon or meister who did it, now, that was not normal at all. There was no weapon that could cause destruction like this, if it could be really called destruction. Ox eyed Jack and noticed that she too, was having the same kind of thoughts as he was now. Why was it there? Who did it? Did it have any after effects? And lots of more questions, but for now he decided to keep them in his mind. Ox sighed.

"Since when did it become our job to clean the messes of others?" He asked quite sarcastically. Jack didn't answer.

"Haven't we always been the ones to clean up the mess that's left behind?" asked another cheerful voice. Kim had appeared behind Jack.

"Are you done talking with the others?" Jack asked, never did her gaze leave the crater. Ox just had to wonder how she always kept a stern face that still had kindness in it. Kim smiled.

"Yeah. I don't think there's much to talk about since we don't know who did this." She said and turned to take a look. Ox watched the surrounding trees and was deep in thought until Kim interrupted them.

"So, I'll be there with the others. If you want to talk come there." She smiled again and walked away. Jacqueline stayed but didn't say a thing.

Kilik was walking on the perimeter of the crater, while his pots followed him right behind. So they decided to call Spartoi for _this_ and their little rescue mission was halted. But it would continue. None of them were too happy about the orders anyway since they were missing people. Chrona was sitting in a tree while Ragnarok coming out of her back. Black Star, Tsubaki, Harvar, Kim were having a discussion about the whole thing.

"So what do you think? I think it's just weird, just to make clear." Harvar said. He received a glare from Black Star. "Of course it's weird! It's suspicious, rotten and all, but it's definitely weird."

"Who do you think did this?" Tsubaki asked with a concerned voice. She didn't like the atmosphere here.

"Could be Noah and his gang," Black Star said."They have caused already more than enough incidents for us to suspect them."

"Yes, but none of us are competent enough to say that for sure." Kim answered and raised both of her hands up as in a form of flexing. "So anyone wanna go down there?" She asked and pointed the crater.

It was strange that, even though it was fall, the birds' singing hadn't ceased. The sky was covered with gray clouds and it looked like yesterdays rain would make a quick comeback. It was also a little windy. Jack raised her head and turned it to look at the bird couple that was preening themselves. She narrowed her eyes a little.

"Even though it looks so peaceful, we're still on a battlefield." She said with sadness in her voice.

"That can't be helped. We live in crazy era where even gods can get killed." Ox commented. Jack didn't answer. Instead she watched as the wind carried the colorful leaves to the ground.

"We still have gods here." she then said with a quiet tone. Ox sighed and walked away from Jack to Kim and the others. They were arguing about something again, and somehow Ox knew that he had come at the wrong time.

"JUST LEAVE IT TO THE GREAT ME!" Black Star shouted and pointed his chest with his thumb and laughed as always. Kim clapped her hands together and made a 0 with her mouth. Tsubaki just sighed and said, "Go ahead then."

Black Star gave a big smirk and jumped in. The rest of the Spartoi watched as he landed safely and began sliding down the bent rocky wall, and knocked a few of the small rocks down too. When arriving at the bottom Black Star was still for few seconds, then he stamped his right foot against the ground, just to make sure it still held. Nothing happening, he turned to face the others and raised his thumb up.

Tsubaki placed her hand to her chest, closed her eyes and sighed.

"This is perfectly safe! Nothing down here neither!" Black Star shouted and eyed the surroundings.

"I guess I'll go down too." Ox said and jumped there too. Chrona watched as three more members jumped in. Chrona wasn't practically interested in some huge pit. Chrona just wanted to get Maka back and play that nothing ever happened at all.

"This is boring." Ragnarok commented while resting on Chrona's head. "Why are we studying some random crater that just happens to be there.

"Ragnarok, hush," Chrona said and raised a finger to her mouth. "Now's not the time for you to talk." Ragnarok was quiet. His small hands grabbed Chrona's pink hair so that he wouldn't be blown off by the wind.

"So are you going to tell them what you saw when you were gone?" He suddenly asked. Chrona's eyes were half lidded. The tree they were sitting on rustled its leaves and once again some of them fell. Wind stopped blowing and it wasn't so chilly anymore.

"I'm going to tell them when I want. But first comes Maka..." Chrona said.

"So she's going to be the first one to know.." Ragnarok stated. Chrona knew it wasn't a question, but still decided to answer.

"Yes. And depending on the situation, she might be the only one who will know." Chrona squeezed her left arm a little tighter and stared at the others. There was nothing wrong, but still there was that question that what caused this. That bothered Chrona too. That someone might become Shibusen's future threat, and Chrona wouldn't like that. All of their friends living in Death City and the school were there too. What if someone attacked the city right now when the Spartoi was gone, or would attack the city someday, but soon enough? If so, Kid's soul wouldn't withstand a lot of attacks and fulfill his role as the Shinigami, and there was a limit for every weapon and meister.

Tsubaki put her hair behind her ear as the wind started blowing again. Her hair would be a little messy when they left here.

"Guys, I'm going to call Kid." She said.

"Yeah, do so." Harvar said. Kilik was sitting on the edge of the crater with his pots and watched how Tsubaki took a smoke bomb out of the bag on her hip and threw it to the ground. She waited for some response.

"Um...Kid-kun are you there?" She asked, being a little hesitant. There was snoring. Black Star went over to the hologram of mirror and looked in it and squinted.

"WHERE'S MY LITTLE BABY?" Spirit's shouted while gluing his face to the mirror, tears and snot decorated the mirror beautifully. Tsubaki had to jump back and try to keep her heart rate normal. That scared her! That bloody man had almost caused her a heart attack!

"My baby, my baby, my baby! Where's my Maka..." And he fell down to the floor, crying. Kid watched Spirit from afar but was visible in the mirror.

"You know...you should stop being a father." Kid said. Liz and Patty were behind him. Kid's hands were behind his back, and he tried to look like he had more dignity than the other crawling on the ground.

"My baby needs me...SHE CAN'T LEAVE ME! MAKA~! Come back to daddyy...*cries even more*"

"That's completely your hallucination. It's only in your little world inside your head that she needs you. Where do you get the idea that she even wants to come back?"

"Kyahaha, Maka doesn't need her daddy." Patty laughed.

"Patty! Don't make him wet the floor any more!" Liz said desperately. She didn't want to clean it up.

Tsubaki and her gang watched the whole show on the other side and couldn't say anything. Why was Shibusen not in the verge of disappearing if there were nothing but idiots in it? Kid seemed to notice that they were staring at them while Liz tried to get away from Spirit. First Kid took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the mirror clean.

"You ready?" He asked from them and they answered in choir,"Yeah. We're ready."

"Good. Now give me the report."

"I don't have one."

"...What else can you say that it has been forsaken by god, and doesn't cause any side effects, which in fact, is strange."

"Kid! We want to go search for our friends." Tsubaki said with a little raise in her voice.

"You think that I send you there with no information just presuming that some random person just decided to blow up the place with no greater motivation or anything?"

"Kinda."

"My mistake, I thought you could think and use your eyes at the same time."

"Black Star! Come here now!" Tsubaki shouted behind her and got everyone's undivided attention immediately. Tsubaki was a nice girl but there was always that line. Even though she always says Black Star lacks almost everything a real ninja should have, she almost definitely lacked observation skills. Harvar had long since lost interest and watched as his pots played with each other.

* * *

Far, far away from any living being, Noah woke up. Actually, refraining from the healthy slow waking up, his eyes shot open and he immediately eyed the surroundings. The ground, to be exact.

The ant army was doing a brave and heroic thing, walking over his corpse-excuse me, his body. Well he didn't actually mind since he couldn't move. Suddenly a thought came to him. The book was no where in sight. Had it exploded?

"_**Have you woken up..." **_the great old one asked. Noah stared at it and then the book that was under it.

"Has it..Set you free?" He asked, unsure what to do.

"_**How does it look to you."**_

"It looks like you're still being tied to it."

"_**Don't underestimate Eibon's work."**_

They were in some kind of a forest and Noah was still laying on his back. All of his limbs hurt and his head ached. Only he and the great old one were present too. This sucked.

"Is the book...alright?"

"_**I don't know about the inside. Now I'm stuck outside."**_

"Oh..."

"_**Just to remind you..."**_

"Gentlemen!" Excalibur shouted. Noah's head went blank.

"_**He's here too."**_ (For those who wonder why the great old one has not tried to kill Noah yet, the answer is simple: He's still being tied to the book so he cannot attack the owner of the book. Otherwise I guess we would see Noah's body lifelessly hanging somewhere.)

"Don't you seek my power? Do you want to stand at the top, be one of the elite?"

"Go away." Excalibur stopped talking and was quiet. It wasn't wise, actually it was just plain stupid, to interrupt him.

"FOOL!" He then shouted and ran next to Noah's head and kicked it with his soft and furry legs, and on top of it, spat on him. "You have yet to understand my greatness!"

Suddenly Noah remembered. His eyes widened a little and he tried to more but was stopped by a sudden crack that came from his arm.

"Where's Kishin? And Albarn!"

"Surprising you aren't asking about your friends." Excalibur said, still sulking a little bit from the earlier. Noah's facial expression however showed that they could take care of themselves, and that it wasn't the main subject now.

"_**I know Asura better than you do. He's already somewhere else and he didn't even get hurt."**_

"Good..." Noah sighed. Thank god his precious and rare prize wasn't injured. (Not that any injury would affect him. The guy heals immediately when he gets the injuries.)

"Fool! What is so good about that? He can now be anywhere, and once again you failed to capture him!"

"Are you actually stimulating that I should catch him?" Now he was moved. He's getting support from the enemy. If one can count Excalibur as an enemy.

"_**You should catch him. There's no telling what he does when he's free to roam around."**_

"What about the girl? Albarn, is she ok?" Now that was another rare piece and important as well.

"Do you really think that a mere human could survive from that blast? Why are you even alive by the way?" Excalibur changed his serious tone at the beginning directed to Noah, to a humorous tone that was directed to the great old one.

"_**I can always almost definitely remove the damage that I myself have caused."**_

"S'that so."

While Excalibur and the great old one were having a conversation about how the other denied the laws of nature and didn't die, Noah was quite angry with the current situation. If Albarn was dead then he lost another one to collect. He gritted his teeth. Now he just had to hope that her friends didn't come to take his head.

* * *

The light danced around her. The shadows seemed to go away as the sun light pierced through the clouds and came through the branches of the trees. Asura didn't watch behind himself, he just continued to walk forward. It wasn't warm at all, although there was a little haze left by the rain. He still seemed to carry the girl. How much more did he decide to walk? He didn't even get to see the beautiful blue sky. Then the steps stopped and he raised his face to look up. Maka's bleeding had stopped but she was still limp and heavy.

He removed his gaze from the clouds that were barely in view, because these trees were old and high. He also noticed that a lone deer was watching him from afar. There was so nonchalance that it was frightening. The deer didn't move when he started walking again, but its eyes followed his every move.

Asura didn't have his scarves hiding his face but decided to keep them away. The colors of this forest were so natural and the smell was the same as always. This wasn't a battle ground.

The ground was painted green by the deep moss that his feet walked on.

Why would she smile when she almost got killed? Only because he had one excuse did he save her. He was saved by her too.

He was amazed that her souls didn't even leave a sound or trace so that someone would be able to find them. No, it was calm. Why...

There was a little slope and he walked it down carefully. But it wasn't like the girl would wake up. Again he walked straight forward after lifting up his head a little. He then saw how there was a little stream. The haze and the sunlight rays made dancing figures above it visible. Water spirits. He spared them only a glance and continued.

The trees became a lot thicker and taller and not even sunlight was allowed in when he arrived at a cave. 'That'll do,' he thought and stepped in. There was that same stream just outside the cave and the entrance was almost hidden by the branches and leaves of a willow.

"Why are its leaves still attached?" Asura wondered out loud. He also noticed how cold the rocky ground was.

"So where to lay you-WHOA," and slippery. He almost fell, and when almost felling, he hit his head. He just had to wail and his head hit the pointy rock. Maka didn't fell down to the ground as she was having a strong grip on his scarves.

"That bloody son of a-" When he was just about to end rock's immortal life as a rock, Asura noticed that just opposite him was a nook that had a little landing making it look like someone would sleep on.

"Marvelous. Now you have a bed." he said half sarcastically and dragged her on it. As she laid on her new "bed", Asura was about to get some water, when Maka stirred and her hold tightened around his scarves that were wrapped around his chest and somehow she managed to pull him closer.

"...this is problematic..." Asura stated when trying to remove her hand. When it didn't work a slight tick appeared on his head. He took one of Maka's fingers and bluntly broke it. He got a lightly pained face and she let go. Asura tsk'ed and went to get some water.

The girl hadn't moved at all when he came back. He stared her a while and then slowly let the water fall to her face from his hands. It made her clothes wet a bit.

Asura just had to wonder if she was cold. His facial expression however did not change. Same nonchalance everywhere. He wasn't afraid of this girl, in fact it felt fine to touch her or to keep her there with him. He sat down and crossed his legs. The landing ended just before his neck started so he was free to stare. Her chest rose up every few second and went down again. She was lying just a little on her side so he could also very clearly see her face. Asura put his scarves around his head once more and rested his head on the landing's edge. Now it looked like he didn't have a body, kind of a funny thought.

Asura felt the girl's warm breath on his face. He raised his hand and brushed few locks of her forelock away from her eyes.

It was amazing how humans tire so easily. He carried her here and walked for a day, at least over 24 hours and thanks to that they were far away. And there she goes passing out from a little explosion. 'might be the fact that she got a pretty good blow...' he thought while rolling his eyes behind the scarves.

"It's cold here."

"..."

"Make some space."

"zzzz..."

"..." Asura stared her sleeping figure while being slightly annoyed that she was getting all the comfortable things...if one could call a stone bed comfortable. Actually, being quite fed up with the whole world he stood up with the attitude like, do I look like I care?

He just promptly moved Maka while making her groan, and laid there right beside her. It was day but it was alright to sleep since there was no one else to be afraid that might attack him. He too laid to his other side and now they were back against back. It felt quite warm even though it was stone. Asura just closed his eyes.

* * *

**At Death City:**

"How...how is this possible...?" Kid gasped and stared the screen in front of him. Azusa was standing right next to him.

"It's no fake, I can say that for sure."

He couldn't believe it. Caused by his father's death, Shinigami's wavelength became the second and madness was more powerful, causing Asura to have more power.

"Are you absolutely positive that this isn't fake?" He asked again. Just to be sure.

"Azusa, here's BREW as you asked." Stein came and he was holding the Demon tool BREW.

"Yes thank you." Azusa said and turned to leave Kid and take the tool. Kid wouldn't stop staring the screen.

"What's going on?" Liz asked, being slightly annoyed that she didn't know anything what was happening."

Azusa stared her and Patty who was right behind her sister. Then she walked over to Kid once more and said, "I need you to use BREW and extend your wavelength to the maximum, and to _feel _it."

Kid raised his gaze from the screen that showed numbers on it and held Azusa's gaze.

"But this kind of a response is impossible." He was shaking a little and eyes looking desperate. "Two things, that are both impossible happening at the same time!"

"Are they?" Azusa asked while his glasses reflected the numbers that were on the screens and Kid didn't see her eyes.

"What?"

"It happened first when the Kishin came here to collect souls. So what makes you think that it won't happen a second time?"

"WELL HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE OTHER?" he shouted panicking slightly.

"I cannot explain it."

Stein sipped his morning coffee and Liz observed that her fingernails were all equally high. Stein stared the screen and read the numbers.

Soul resistance: 10%

Protection: off, 0%

Wavelength: not emitting, 0%

Taking in madness: 0%

Insanity wavelength in the world: 0%.

Shinigami's wavelength: Over loading. Danger, danger. Over loading, danger, danger.

The insanity had once again, just in the matter of few seconds disappeared from the world, and what was even stranger was that somewhere in this world, the computer was getting a huge Shinigami's wavelength signal. And it was recognized as,

Lord Death. Shinigami-sama using his wavelength: 100%

Stein sipped the last remains of his coffee and put the cup on a table that was right next to him. He wasn't actually called here, but so what. He was curious. Right now it seemed like, the dead could come back to life. He smirked a little bit when the thought hit him that maybe he could then start dissecting zombies.

Liz was still looking his hands and Patty was feeling just a little sleepy, but it quickly faded away when she saw something interesting.

"Hey Sis, Look." Patty said and laughed a little before pointing the thing with her finger. Liz turned her head.

"Well what-KIYAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" She jumped and screamed when realizing that next to her, out from the darkness, were two heads poking out. One monkey, one giant...bear? They both turned their heads towards Liz very fast (they mean to scare her.)

"He~llo, you~ng miss~l." Tezca said with a very creepy voice. The monkey just smirked while they both had flashlights in their hands and they were pointing them to their faces making them look like ones out from ghost stories.

"W..who are you?" Liz asked, slightly even more chocked that the bear could talk and held onto Patty even tighter.

"Oh. So young miss wants to learn who I am? Well I am-"

"Narcissist who plays idiot," Kid, Stein and Azusa said in choir. (If you go to soul eater wiki, it tells you that he's narcissist.)

"That hurt."

"Gaugaugau." the monkey repeated. Tezca turned his head to his partner, "I'm not!"

"Gaugaugaugau." The monkey said again,"Which I'm not." Tezca argued.

"Gau."

"Guys, we're supposed to be having a very dramatic moment going on." Kid stamped his hands to the table that was right in front of him and furrowed his eyebrows. Tezca broke the silence.

"Just a little question for you kiddo."

"What?" Kid turned his head towards him.

"If that machine of yours can pick up Shinigami's wavelength, then why can't any of us sense it?"

Kid's eyes widened. He had a point. "Stein, try to feel my father."

At first Stein closed his eyes and tried to pick it up, but couldn't. "Can't feel it." he said.

"See." Tezca said. Kid glared the Death scythe. "Ain't that just one old broken thingie that's just sending a fake signal." he said chuckled at the end.

"If you want to speak, come in." Azusa said to the other death scythe, who raised his head and directed the bear's eyes to her. "I ain't coming in. I'm leaving. Bye then." He said and disappeared again. This only made Liz freak out more.

"What is he? Some kind of a ghost?" He practically, whispered. The hallways filled with laughter so, maybe Enrique had told another joke. Kid's gaze fell back to the screen which showed that no wavelength was emitting anymore. His father's wavelength just disappeared. Just like Asura's.

* * *

Maka was currently lying on the grass of her dream land. The breeze brushed her main worries away, like was she dead this time? It also cooled her down. She looked how the clouds dominated the blue sky and moved fast. The real world didn't have a blue sky right now. With her face being monotone, a tick was seen on her head.

"AND BY THE WAY I NEED COMPANY!" She shouted and shot up to stand while tossing the grass she grabbed from the ground into the air. She was SO used to being near _her own _Asura that it felt weird to be alone in this tiny world, without no one being here with her when usually he kept her company.

"You don't have to shout." Maka heard from next to her."Asura you-What the hell are you doing?" Maka said with a straight look. How could he ruin her picture of him? She could only see Asura's head. Like he was buried in the ground, but head left alone.

"You know...I'm sorry." Maka face palmed. "I was under the impression that you had already passed your puberty."

"How can an 800 year old man not have passed his puberty?" He asked. Maka just sighed and went over to him. While now she could only see the features that were up from his nose. She squatted and started petting his head.

"You know I think I died." She said while holding a sad expression. He didn't answer a while, probably tried to fall asleep.

"Well happy news, I saved you." Maka blinked. "What? You?"

"Not this me, but the real me. He kinda saved you, almost abandoned you, but decided to take you somewhere. Now you're unconscious after hitting your head."

"What about Asura?" Seriously, it felt kinda weird asking her Asura about that Asura. Asura had closed his eyes and it felt like he was a cat. He could start purring. She wouldn't have minded. That brings up...What was Blair doing right now? (A/N: probably seducing a fish seller.)

"Sleeping with you right now," He then said. And how was it possible to hold a feature like apathy when he just was. Maka's hand stopped suddenly when she heard that. Asura yawned and popped completely out of the ground. He rubbed his eyes a little and went sluggishly under one of the trees and started sleeping. Maka was kinda glad that he didn't see the light blush on her cheeks.

* * *

**17.2.2011 Note: This chapter has been beta'ed**


	15. How you haunt my nightmares

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

Chapter 15. How you haunt my nightmares while I'm blind.

_Fear...It can be anything you don't like. It haunts you if you don't get rid of it but it's also a protection mechanism that tells you what's bad to do, while that leaves a question, Is it safe to get rid of the feeling called FEAR?_

Maka stared the cave's ceiling. A drop of water fell to her nose. Right next to her was a dry spot, so had guessed that Asura had slept there. But he wasn't there anymore. Maka couldn't actually decide which was she upset about. The fact that she let her enemy get away OR the other fact that she would have liked to wake up beside Asura. She would have liked to say "good morning" and start a conversation or something. Maka sighed and closed her eyes again.

Actually, the things that happened few days ago, they all seemed like a dream. A little smirk appeared on her lips as she remembered the fact that she had promised to be one of Noah's gang. A crucial measure to get Soul back. As if. She once wanted to feel what was it like_ to be the enemy. _She kinda learned in that short amount of time that they lived a colorful life, which didn't actually differ from her original one as being one of the _good guys._

Maka had also noticed that her head didn't ache anymore. It had when she had waken up. Now then a question! She opened her eyes. Had Asura some freakish kind of way cured her?

"Yeah right." she snickered and rose up to sit. It WAS quite cold and wet. Very good place for him to bring a wounded girl who can get a flu in here. Maka put her feet to the ground and walked to the cave's exit, which was (as stated by Asura few days ago) that was almost hidden by a big willow's branches. Their leaves were beautiful. Some color between silver and green. Maka used his hands to push away the branches, which was easy since they were the hanging sort. She was quite surprised to find that beyond them was a beautiful scenery. She hadn't seen one, but had read from it from books. Very, very old, thick and long trees made a ceiling that light had difficulties to come through. She didn't hear the stream's sound that was right in front of her. As if the water was so soft that it couldn't make any sound. It was also a very quiet. She didn't even hear bird's chirping here.

Maka walked over to the stream and squatted. She was going to wash herself and so started taking her dirty Spartoi coat and tie off. The skirt she would wash later. As her hands went through the surface and brought the cool water to her face she really felt refreshed. She hadn't washed herself for...how long was it? Two days? No, the smell she emitting told another story. At least 5 days. Damn she really was forgetting how fast the time went by. Maka felt a sudden urge to wash her whole head so she slowly (maybe she was just interested what was it like in this water.) put her head under the water. Maka's eyes were closed at first and she let the water surround her and as her hair got it's original dirty blond color back (well she had few mud baths so...)

Maka didn't first realize the soft touch that implanted so Maka opened her eyes half way when she realized the soft touch her forehead, and her eyes opened wide when she realized that Asura's red eyes stared right into her own green ones. Maka was so surprised that she accidentally opened her mouth in an attempt to scream but let the air in her lungs out. She quickly drew her head back from the water and backed away from the stream. `wha..WHAT THE HELL!´ She screamed in her mind. That damn bastard scared her! Asura rose up but water was still reaching to his hip. He was just staring her and Maka found it incredibly hard to hold his gaze. They were like some freaking mirrors that saw through anything.

"You're awake." Asura suddenly stated.

"DUDE YOU NEARLY CAUSED ME A HEART ATTACK THERE!" Maka shouted at Kishin and her fist was shaking, clearly think, should it hit him or not. Asura cocked his head to the side and clearly ignored her sudden outburst. "You were sleeping for three days, so I thought that maybe you were dead." and he rose completely up from the stream. He walked over to Maka and sat down, which Maka to lean back a little.

"Come here." He said, but it felt like it was an order. Maka yelped when he made a gesture to come to him.

"Wha...What are you going to do?" She asked smirking, a little unsure what he was going to do. However, Asura made that kind of an glare that Maka found herself quickly obeying what she was told to do. "So what now?" she asked when being in front of Asura.

"Sit there for a while." he said and started to loosen the strings that kept Maka's sleeveless shirt closed (it's the shirt that's under her spartoi coat.) Maka yelped again. There were thousands of emotions in her head but confusion was the biggest. After that came a little fear, that was he going to do something bad to her! When Asura took the strings off and opened her shirt she froze,

`What the hell are you doing you bastard? Are you going to do it? ARE YOU GOING TO DO XXX WITH ME!JESUS THIS IS RATED FOR T!`

Asura however, only brought his scarf from the river closer to himself and opened it. It contained mud. He poured it from his scarf to his left hand and after that moistened his forefinger's tip in the mud. Now Maka was at loss of what to think and say. What was he doing? Simple question. She should be able to ask that much. But her mouth didn't work. Words didn't come out. An electric shock went through her whole body when Asura pressed his fingertip that contained the mud to her skin. Right above her collarbone. Her face no longer looked stupidly in smirking mode, but it was confused and there was a really heave red color on her cheeks. Now not a question but statement, What the hell?

"Asura what are you doing?" She asked, completely recovered from the shock of him seeing her chest, and now having his face directed to its direction.

"What does it look like." He said sarcastically, and this time pressed one part of her arm, and moistened his fingertip again.

"I don't need mud on my skin!" Maka said. the Kishin didn't say anything. This would just lead another pointless argument, but Maka was persistent. "Hey If you wanna keep poking me here and there, I wanna know a reason." She said a little louder this time.

"Now listen you stupid." Asura raised his gaze and stared into her eyes that were glaring at him." I want to do this at much as you do. Yes, but I own you. That's why I help you and you better keep your mouth shut so I won't accidentally spill this over to the skin that's ok, because if that happens, you'll be dead in five minutes. Got it?"

Maka was absolutely astonished. It wasn't everyday that the Kishin gave you deadly skin scrub or whatever it was. That also made her decide to not move until he was ready. It took ten minutes for Asura to say turn around and do the same thing to her back, which took ten minutes again.

Asura went washing his hands when he stated that it was ok to put that top Maka was wearing on again. She started to knotting the strings back and once in a while stole a glance from Asura. He was washing his neck. She thought of going few meters beside him and stood up already but noticed that a deer was coming next to him.

`what?` She thought quietly.

It went to drink five meters away from him and didn't seem to mind. Asura didn't particularly care neither. Maka stared it. "Maybe it's tame.` She thought and took one step towards it. The deer immediately raised its head and ran away. Maka noticed Asura staring her over his shoulder.

"What'd you do that for?" He asked.

"Do what?"

"You scared it away. You came closer." He said and narrowed his eyes, but they weren't judging.

"I..." She didn't know how to answer. Maka's features became a little sad and she turned her head to look to the way the deer had ran to. She took a tighter grip around her Spartoi coat and walked away from Asura, to the farthest edge of the stream she saw, but still not losing sight of him. It would be bad since she didn't know how deep this forest was. The treetops were covered in haze that the sunlight came through and you could see through, and they moved to and fro, but just a little. Maka sat down and started washing her white coat. She couldn't help but also glance at Asura for every few seconds and he was still scrubbing the neck. The dirt that was on her white coat didn't take itself to leave. She kinda made it worse since the stains were only growing in size and becoming more and more difficult to remove. Maka's eyes were a little blank as her there were few sweat drops on her face and a little tick on her head. Maka gave up on the coat and started washing her gloves instead. That was easier since they were only sweaty...and a little muddy.

´This isn't working at all...` she finally admitted and a mild shadow was covering her eyes. She glanced to Kishin's spot again only to find that he was not there. Wait, WHAT?

"Did that bastard leave me here!" She asked herself out loud. Maka quickly grabbed her wet clothes and ran to the woods. She panicked a little. What if he really was already far away. He said that he was going to leave when done with her healing! Maka didn't like how the long trees were all the same. Sundays she was usually with Soul. She was reading or watching TV or arguing or anything! Any voice would be welcomed now. Confusing thoughts raced in Maka's head as she ran. Maka didn't even realize that her breathing had become harsh and throat raspy after searching for 15 minutes. After 30 minutes her legs started to feel tired but she didn't stop running. Only after an hour went by and she fell to her face onto the ground did she realize how difficult it had became to breath but she was already used to it. Maka raised herself with her hands to a sitting position but kept her head down. Maka couldn't help it, she wept. Before she noticed it had changed into a loud cry and tears streamed down her face as she raised her head.

"KISHIN WHERE ARE YOU!" she howled to the treetops which didn't care but rustled their leaves and let her be. Maka was left alone crying.

* * *

The demon god was walking in the forest, trying to search some herbs that would ease the horrible feeling on his neck. Maybe it was some stupid insect, or then it was just that his neck had suddenly gotten a whole lot hotter. His being was cold! How could he ever be warm. None of his organs high likely worked, he went on by black blood, and black blood was cold so how could he be warm?

When he was done, after finally finding some herbs, Asura mashed them between two rocks and sticked them to the spot that was the most annoying, and good to him it was behind the scarves that were on his throat, so he could put the remedy behind his scarves so that it would be nicely pressed to his skin. Healing would be faster that way and it was well hidden. Asura was on the other side of the river, unbeknownst that Maka had thought that he had left her there alone and had ran off to the opposite direction.

Asura in his all 100% nurturing personality, had caught a rabbit the time authoress was speaking about Maka. Its neck was broken and it was limp when he raised it to his eye level and rotated it a little.

"Wonder does she eat it fresh?"

* * *

Maka was leaning against a tree. Her head was buried to her knees that she was hugging very tightly. She had stopped crying but was having a little hiccups because she cried so long. She was wearing the Coat and the gloves since she didn't want to hold them any longer. They were wet and cold.

"Stupid Asura..." Maka says quietly while furrowing her eyebrows. She was just about to change her opinion of him and he does something like this. Suddenly Maka felt his weight change, as if someone was leaning against her. She blinked. Was Asura leaning against her? Had he came back? Maka raised her head to be proved utterly wrong.

"Hello there." She said to Maka. Maka couldn't say anything out of bewilderment and astonishment. She was facing an exact replica of herself, but she...she was wearing a black dress that's hem wasn't seen but it swirled around like ink became when brush touched paper.

"Who are you?" Maka asked herself. She received a giggle. And the replica moved herself to be right in front of Maka and she put her hands around Maka's head and rested her head on Maka's knees. "Sweetie can't you remember me from Noah's base?" She smiled and stared Maka's eyes. It took Maka a moment to realize that yes, she had been there.

"_But I am you."_

The replica's face entered her privacy line and she buried her face to Maka's shoulder. Maka didn't move. She felt the madness that was slowly taking up the space, and she didn't like it. Not even Asura used his wavelength here and was practically hiding it anyway.

"You know what?" She suddenly asked from Maka. Maka's stare left the atmosphere and moved her gaze to herself. The replica's dress made rustling noise as the fabric moved. Maka's hands left her knees and Her head moved a bit to the side as the black dress Maka's other hand covered her eyes and the other hand was placed to her back She moved her head closer to Maka's ear and whispered.

"I like him." Maka stiffed."That's why you're not going to get him and I'm going to take him from you. In your mind and here." Maka could have sworn that she was grinning very wildly like now.

"You're my madness aren't you?" Maka asked as the other moved. Her arms that were also decorated with the same fabric as the dress felt really cold. "My soul should be immune to madness. Why are you here, and why do you want him?" Maka asked, her voice was a little shaky. There was a little silence when Maka thought that she was not going to say anything, a loud laughter broke the silence of the forest. It was so high pitched that it sounded like shrieking but it continued.

"YOU'RE IMMUNE TO MADNESS NOT FEAR!" The other suddenly screamed into her ear. That hurt. "And so what if you're immune! I'm going to taint your soul, because there's always madness in our hearts and souls..." The replica moved her head from her ear as Maka was shaking a little, to the front of her face. What made Maka a little afraid was not that she was blinded but how the other spoke, what kind of tone she was using and the fact that she was hearing her voice in front of her but couldn't feel any warmth radiating from the other or didn't feel the breath that she should have taken when she spoke.

"I'm going to make you drown in madness and fear..." She said quietly and removed her hand from Maka's eyes that were wide open , "and you're going to beg for help you are not going to get." The black blood dress made a rustling sounds again as Maka realized that she was going kiss her.

"Wait. Stay back!" She tried to move her hands but the other's strength was superior. She didn't let Maka move at all. Maka tried to move her head away from the other but then remembered that she was leaning against a tree. She just squeezed her eyes shut and hoped that something would stop the other.

There was however a sudden change in the flow of madness. As Maka was trying to block all of her senses from the possible horrible experience, the replica's eyes shot open when she realized that the madness that was surrounding her suddenly went away. Then there was a pressure far worse than hers. It was suffocating.

"Wha-" and a kick landed to her side, sending her fly to the tree that was most close. Replica coughed. She didn't even have time to dodge when a pale hand was already holding her by her neck.

"Yo-you..." she stared the attacker with a little shock in her features. Asura glared at her.

"Do not use my madness, and more of fear." He said with a really dangerous tone. Asura's red eyes seemed to gleam even more red and his whole presence was vibrating with insanity. The whole forest's colors were changing and the sky was painted red with clouds, but it was over fast. He did not wish to attract any attention more than he already had. The Kishin threw the replica to the ground. She slowly supported herself with his right arm and tried to ignore the pain in the ribs.

"Leave." He said but now using his normal tone. She grinned and dispersed into the air. Demon god turned his whole undivided attention to Maka who was leaning against the tree her, squeezing her eyes shut.

"hey." Maka didn't react.

"Hey." He said a little louder. Maka didn't react.

Asura raised the dead rabbit's corpse and brought its nose to her lip. A kiss from a corpse. Maka screamed. (Now if this would a comic, now you would see treetops and the birds that leave theirs nets and a KIYAAAA, mark above the trees.)

…...

"IT KISSED ME! I'm gonna be mad, I'm gonna be mad, I'M GONNA BE MAD! I'm never going to see the daylight again, I'll be locked in my tine little mind for the rest of my life listening how I'm a failure! I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE!I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!I DIDN'T FIND SOUL AND I DIDN'T GET TO GO HOME!I HAVE TOO MANY UN-DONE HOMEWORKS!I DON'T WANT TO END UP AS A FAILURE!"

Now it was not embarrassing to fall back and be absolutely frightened about what the hell she was going to next except rampage mindlessly and throw her hands here and there, fall to her knees and say sorry that she was ever born and all. You couldn't expect him to do anything else than be absolutely surprised and staring with wide eyes and waiting when was it going to end. Maka was calming down after five minutes of her blabbering, and right now she was out of breath.

"That-freaking-bitch...how dare she..." Maka muttered, completely unaware of the Kishin's presence. "YOU WILL NOT LEAD ME TO- Wait? I'm not mad?" Maka stopped cursing but was still pointing her middle finger to innocent trees.

"So, when are you going to realize that I'm here?" he finally asked. Asura had long age regained his composure and was now sitting legs crossed, face towards Maka. Maka who was just grasping the situation turned her upper body towards Asura, and forgot to put the middle finger away. Grave insult if you ask me. After getting rid of the pesky feeling the girl brought with her, Asura threw the dead rabbit to her face.

"What's this?" She asked and raised the rabbit to her eye level. "Your food." was the answer.

"I don't it if it's not cooked!" She shouted angrily. What was he thinking? She could get a food poisoning from this animal.

"Suit yourself princess. I'm leaving." Asura said rudely and turned to leave( he stood up when maka was in her thoughts.) and he would have high likely left peacefully if Maka hadn't thrown a rock that hit his head. Asura looked over his shoulder and scowled.

"And why the hell did you do that for?" He asked and

"I thought you weren't the type to swear." Maka said and smirked. Punishment for trying to leave her behind, and he felt it. Even thought it would heal almost immediately, that must have hurt a little. Asura narrowed his eyes.

"And after saving you twice this is what I get." He laughed a little." Humans like you are just plain weird." and shrugged.

"No one asked you to do that." Maka frowned.

"Well if I wouldn't have, you would be acting awfully weird now. You would be mad, and you wouldn't want that, would you?" He asked while his black hair locks that had vertical eyes on them, covered half of his face.

"Wasn't it your goal to plunge everyone and everything to madness and destroy this world?"

"Create nothingness that holds no fear and doesn't contain anything." He turned to face her once more.

"Awfully boring place if you ask me." Maka stood up and stared him with disdain. She would not let him go. Not now that he was right in front of her. "And there's no one there to speak to. Are you going to become mute? You really talk active so I guess that would be hell for you." She mocked him.

"It doesn't matter if there's nothing there." Asura cocked his head to the side, "As long as there's no fear it's alright."¨

That does it! Someone has to give this bastard a good beating. Maka picked another rock from the ground and threw it at him. Asura moved his head an the rock didn't hit but it gave Maka enough time time to run to him.

"YOU FUCKING COWARD!" She shouted at Asura and hit him in the face making the kishin fall back at least five to six meters, but he didn't fall. Asura was holding his nose while having his back bent. Asura fixed his nose with a little crack voice heard and glared Maka.

"That damn point of view of your makes me sick!" Maka growled at him. "Makes me wonder why you don't fear power..."

"It's simple. If you have power you can just kill everything that you fear, you can stand a top other. When one has power, he doesn't need to be afraid because everything and everyone will be afraid of the person holding the power." Asura explained and straightened his back. Maka flicked her neck and fists and started walking closer.

Asura threw one of his scarves at her but she dodged, and was now running at him in full speed. Another scarf came and she jumped on it, using it as a foothold. There was yet another scarf and that hit, sending Maka to the ground. Asura's eyes were open and he eyed his enemy with great interest. Why would she continue when she knew that she was going to lose, with or without her weapon.

Maka used her hands to get her up and she was still facing the earth. Damn that hurt! But it would hurt her pride if she told Asura to be a little more delicate because she was a girl. Maka coughed up a little and rose up onto her on feet. She started running at him again. Asura stared her and drew his scarves back to him. He wouldn't use them. Maka swung her fist to his face but Asura, being high likely spineless being, ducked the blow by making his head fall back and bending his back backwards. Maka used her right foot to turn around and hit him again, but Asura caught the fist and threw Maka up in the air.

`Shit.` She thought when Asura opened his mouth. Maka closed her eyes and waited for a blow from Vajra. She didn't feel anything else but when she opened her eyes Maka felt a foot connecting with her abdomen. Her eyes were spread wide and She coughed up some blood and a trail of spittle. Maka tried to use her hands to make herself fall off from his foot but raised her up by her collar.

"One advice, don't close your eyes in a battle." He said and made her clash with the ground. Asura didn't let go of Maka's collar. She was losing consciousness. Asura's face didn't change but his tone changed, "and don't ever try to attack anyone without your partner. I've been trying to hammer that in your head for a long time now,but you just keep coming at me. Alone."

Maka's eyes were already closing but she was still wearing her frown. `not good...` She thought and tried to move Asura's arm from her shirt with her right arm.

"It's useless. You can't escape from me, whose physical power is way past yours."

The main thing that Asura wanted to hear from her was few insulting words. That would be meaning she still hadn't given up. The Kishin watched, interest still clearly in his eyes, as Maka's eyes finally closed. Was this a trap? Would she do something more? Why was he waiting for her to do something? Asura's grip on her collar loosened. He tilted his head to the side and wondered was she dead. It probably didn't help that he was on top of her, so he rose up.

Suddenly Maka opened her eyes. They were empty, and they didn't have any emotion in them, but they were enough to make Asura back away little, but when he did so, he felt that there was something on his right side. `what?´ He quickly glanced over his shoulder just to avoid that something by jumping high up in the air. Maka was rising slowly but surely to her feet and when she was up, god she seemed like some limp rag doll.

Asura stared in disbelief as she started running at him again. He tsk'ed and took his battle stance. This would be problematic.

**Somewhere in the woods:**

Eruka hadn't been so happy in a long time. She happily jumped around while having her enormous tadpole, Jackson beside her.

"I'm free today! I got vacation! No seeing Medusa's face for a week-geko!" She smiled and took few dance steps. Free was right behind her.

"This sure is a nice place. How did you know about this frog miss?" Free asked.(I have forgotten how he call Eruka so...) He didn't mind being near Medusa, nearly as much as Eruka did. Well he DIDN'T have a small snake in her soul that marked the fact the she could be killed anytime by the sadistic witch.

"My tadpoles were moving around a little and one of them blew up and the others found it here-geko." Eruka said and turned around making her extensive but short black dress that had white round decoration on it, sway around a little. It would have almost been cute if her hat wouldn't give that creepy shadow on her eyes, making it seem like she would use some nasty magic on you. "Jackson was the one to deliver the message though-geko." She hugged the giant tadpole that had hovered right next to her.

**Flashback:**

"_Eruka." Medusa said and gestured the other witch to come closer. Medusa was sitting in one of the big building looking things that had dark, turquoise and blue colors reflecting from it._

"_Yes, Medusa-sama?" Eruka asked, little afraid what it would be. Medusa didn't remove her eyes from her crystal ball but spoke._

"_I don't think that I have to make you do something for a week so I give you a little vacation. Do what you wish in that time." and Eruka's mouth was so wide open and her eyes were having that kind of sparkles that maybe when she first learned how to fly, had she been like that._

"_YOU are giving ME a vacation-geko?" She suddenly screamed, still not believing what she had heard._

"_Do you not want vacation?" Medusa asked and turned her head towards the frog witch. Her yellow eyes were in the shadows of her hood and her black hair didn't hide the features that were not so surprised but still. Maybe a little. Eruka grabbed Medusa's shoulders and shook her. She was sweating a little._

"_Are you sure you want to give me vacation-geko? Do you have fever-geko?" She put her hand on Medusa's forehead. When she removed the hand Eruka noticed that Medusa was once again smiling in that creepy way of hers and her eyes were in the creepy mode too AND there was a black, electric looking snake coming out from her mouth._

"_Would you like me to put some more snakes in your soul or are you having so hard time figuring it out that I just gave you one week of freedom?"_

_Eruka let go of Medusa's shoulders. One week of freedom. That sounded nice..._

**The end.**

"I'm so happy Jackson! She said that I con do whatever I want-geko!" Eruka grinned again, and started swinging the gigantic tadpole around who was having an exactly the same same face as Eruka did.

"We're happy to be here! It's peaceful! There's no fighting!"

The werewolf ignored the frog witch and eyed the surroundings. Something was off. The birds were a little restless and he could actually feel the thick atmosphere. ´something's not right here.`

Just when Eruka was about to say how happy she was for the tenth time, there was a big explosion just about two kilometers away from them.

"KIYAAAHH!" Eruka shouted and fell back to the ground and pulled her hat over her eyes. "Is-is there a battle-geko?" She asked and her eyes watered a little. Yes she was a coward but this was a vacation! No fights were supposed to be included!

"It's not a normal fight. Look frog missy. Can't you see and feel it?" Free asked and narrowed his eyes. With his no-future, witch queen's eye that he stole, Free could see many things and use magic.

"W-w-w-what do you need me to see?" Eruka shouted as another explosion occurred. Jackson was right beside Eruka. On the ground, acting as cowardly as his master.

"Can't you feel the insanity?" Free asked. At the same time free said that Eruka raised her hat and her eyes widened. Right behind free was the Kishin in his stripe suit, scarves covering his head and the ones that were free to move, moved very dangerously. Eruka felt herself shake and she slowly raised her shaking hand and pointed behind free.

"F-f-f-Free, b-b-behind y-y-you." She tried to whisper very quietly but there was a very clear panic in her voice.

"Hm? What is it frog missy?" Free asked, he moved his attention from the explosion to the shaking witch. He noticed that she was pointing behind him so he glanced over his shoulder. Asura's scarves came to his throat and started to choke Free who just now noticed who it was.

"Is-Is this another illusion?" It was hard to speak since there was someone on your throat, killing you. Eruka was completely terrified about to see the illusion of the Kishin again! Once was enough and then too, she was almost killed. Then another explosion came from the woods. The birds flew away and the hallucination, made by Asura's insanity threw Free against the ground and turned his head to look he frightened Frog witch.

"Wolf, wolves, wolf wolves. ICE BIND!" Free shouted from the ground and the ground that was under then froze. "followed by, Icicle pillars!" He shouted and ice pillars appeared out of nowhere, but they gathered around the hallucination and trapped him in the icy prison.

"I'm not going to let you almost kill me twice." he frowned. Free's soul grew in size and he Demon eye started to glow.

"Hey...Free! You're not going to shoot that Cannon here are you-gero?" Eruka asked in a panicked tone.

"Wolf wolves, wolf wolves..."

"FREE!" Eruka cried when the werewolf was done and fired the blast (I have no memory about how he shoots it,(does he say the name or not) but in my version he says the name of the attack.)

"I don't have a choice!We'll never get rid of that ugly being that comes from our hearts if I don't destroy it now!"

…...Silence...a little tick appeared on Eruka's head.

"ARE YOU HALLUCINATING ?"

"But I don't want to get sucked in!" Free literally cried.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"DEMON EYE CANNON!"

Few trees fell and the surrounding area was in green glowing light that appeared from the cannon. Sharp ice fragments flew and fell down to the ground. The blast colored Eruka's face and Jackson's who was hiding behind her. Free was still still standing in his spot. Smoke filled the area. `did I get it?" He asked from himself in his mind. Free quickly turned his head and his eyes widened. The Kishin was just placing his hand to Eruka's face.

"Impossible. I destroyed the other. Were there two?" He again asked himself and watched as Asura decorated Eruka's hair with his eye like pins that had legs and placed them on Eruka's head. He looked kinda happy...

Free quietly walked over to one of the many trees after staring the two, and simply got a hold of the tree. "question number 1..." He said calm, but suddenly his eyes almost jumped out of their eye sockets, "WHAT THE HELL!"

…...

"Free you got rid of it!" Eruka shouted happily while standing right next to him. Free let go of the tree and was quiet. It WAS an illusion. Nasty stuff. Apparently talking to trees helped.

"For now yeah. But it'll come back if we stay here." Free turned his head to see something. Madness was spreading and insanity was taking over the space. But what surprised Free was that it was incredibly strong in one point in his view. Was the Kishin here in this forest?

"Eruka I'm gonna check some things out. You can stay here." Free glanced the frog witch who was still clutching to her hat. "What? Are you crazy! I CAN'T stay here-gero."Eruka said and started walking after Free.

…**...**

Asura just barely dodged an attack from Maka. When realizing that he was once again staring into her empty eyes and then again blocking an attack with his shield. `unconscious huh?´

There were two black scythe blades growing out from Maka's arms. She swung them in attempt to cut his head off but Asura had advantages. He had more experience in fighting and he was stronger.

"Don't think that that's going to kill me girl." He said and narrowed his eyes and raised his hand to put up a shield. Maka's blades hit the shield but it didn't break. Her attacks didn't have the same kind of an power behind them as Shinigami and his scythe had had.

"So what kind of a monster are you?" He asked and and moved his head to the side after canceling his shield.

"What kind of an meister is secretly a weapon?" Asura side stepped Maka's kick only to notice that there were too many scythes to dodge, coming out from her body. He was surrounded.

"And why are you sleeping?" He asked a little annoyed. There was a little drool coming from Maka's mouth and Z marks were constantly hitting Asura's head.

"How do I have a faint reminiscence that you said that you would only fight cool?"

Maka's scythes disappeared suddenly making Asura a little surprised. She was still unconscious, Her WIDE eyes told him that. No one would walk around like that...Well, Maka walked over to the most comfortable looking place that was covered in green moss and laid down. She put two of her hand under her head, making it look like...someone who had serious problems.

"Look, I'm old but I can say that that's not cool. AND DON'T STOP FIGHTING JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO TAKE A NAP."

Maka turned to her stomach and started swinging her legs back and forth while staring the Kishin and whistling.

"What are you doing?" Asura asked while having the features of apathy itself. Maka tsk'ed and turned to face the other way. NOW Asura was really annoyed.

"Are you ignoring me? Were you displeased with my reaction?"

Maka stood up and picked up a stick. She walked over to Asura who seemed to be in question mode. "And why are you coming to me? You were tired enough to take a nap just now? Decide are you going to-* poke*" Maka poked his cheek with the stick. She pushed a little harder, enough to make it hard to see from the other eye. It went over Asura's patience line when Maka started to spin the stick.

"That does it!I don't care if you're awake or not, but I'm going to send you to heaven with that stick!" Asura shouted, grabbed Maka's hand by its wrist and- bushes started rustling. Both of them turned their head towards the distraction.

"Free aren't we pretty close-geko?" Eruka asked and her pale blue hair got stuck in the bushes. "Just a little bit more frog missy." Free answered and used his hand to move rest of the bushes away and-huh?

"Free, you're in the way-geko." Eruka said and tried to see past the muscular man in front of her. Free just stared, and even if Eruka knew he wasn't listening, she still tried. "Free! Move, I can't see!"

"Are we interrupting something?" Free asked and when Eruka finally decided to look from under the bushes her mouth was wide open. Asura was quiet. Maka couldn't really say anything even if she wanted to.

"isn't it the pigtail girl and the wanna be macho?" Free suddenly shouted. Eruka had a serious heart attack after hearing that, Asura was changing from dumbfounded mode to a killing mode, and Maka blinked. Asura's scarves started to move around dangerously and she let go of Maka's wrist.

"Free you idiot! You made him angry!" Eruka whispered loud and raspy trying to make her partner realize that they were dead meat if they won't run. Apparently the werewolf just didn't hear. Instead of running way, he walked over to Asura and put his hand to Kishin's shoulder and the other hand on his own hip.

"How do you do man! Man when we rescued you, you looked kinda like some freak but now you look like a normal man!." Free eyed the other from head to toe, and grinned widely."Yes, yes. Looks like you have gained some weight too. You´still look like an anorectic to me, but look! You have gained some muscles!" Free raised Asura's hand to the side turned it around. When speaking he patted Asura's shoulder.

"Oh and by the way I'm called free. What's yours? Kinda stupid to call you kishin." He laughed. Asura didn't answer. Free completely ignored the scarves that swung behind Asura, like cat's tail, marking that he was seriously aggravated. He also completely ignored Asura's features, and they were not amused. Eruka could clearly tell that the other was glaring the werewolf and emitting killer waves. Eruka bit her nails. Free was too careless! There was just no way that he could make the Kishin his friend.

"No need to be shy you bastard. As my pal you can just say anything to me. You can even cry against my chest if you want, and no need to worry! As a man I'll keep all of your secrets!" Free said proudly. Eruka's back of the neck hairs rose up when Asura started growling. That, if any of those things Free ignored, was a sign! A sign for Don't come near me or I kill and let go now or you'll be in the heaven in a second etc.

Maka brought her face closer to Free's. Both of the two males turned their attention to the little girl that was right between them. Maka squinted.

"What is it little missy?"free asked and eased his grinning. Eruka noticed that Asura's scarves were calming down and he had stopped growling. His face also seemed a lot more calm. ´Has that girl a positive effect on the Kishin?` Eruka thought and looked dumbfounded as Maka tried to stand on her tows and make her hands reach Free's face. She succeeded and started turning Free's head from left to right.

"Don't tell me you don't remember me?" Free asked as Maka tried to move a little closer. While Asura was tall and skinny, Free was tall and macho, but they were both TALL, and Maka was a shortie. For Eruka it was very amusing to watch as she tried to reach a little more until her back said crack. (And Asura wonders if he accidentally, while fighting with her, broke something important in her back.) Maka was now on the ground trying to hold her back as it hurt. Well it seemed like it hurt. Free squatted.

"You really don't remember almost killing me on that bridge in London?" Free asked and Maka raised her gaze from the mother nature. "Why don't you say anything?" No answer."Where's your partner?" No answer. "Why are you hanging around with the Kishin?" Maka's eyes were covered by her forelock as her lips moved a little, but no words came out.

"Not gonna answer huh? Well now it's payback time." Free said and put his hand on Maka's forehead. Her white coat was wet and Free took advantage of that. "Wolf wolves, wolf wolves..."

Asura noticed that when the werewolf's soul was growing a little, there was also a strange mark on it. Now where had he seen that red magic(or arcana) circle before...

"Vasili." Free said quietly and Maka's clothes started to Freeze. The moss was also wet making it so that her legs were also frozen to the ground. Maka's eyes stared Free's brown ones and her mouth was lightly open as her hands and arms were completely frozen and the Ice kept growing until it reached her chest, her throat, mouth, nose, ears, eyes, hair and Maka became an ice statue. Asura watched and his mouth was slightly open. He didn't like the idea of her dying right before himself by someone other's hand.

"There. All done. Now I usually don't do this but..." Free raised his hand " Ice fist." Free said and the hand descended.

Eruka gasped as Asura grabbed Free's arm by its wrist. Just few inches away from Maka's face.

"And what might you be doing?" Asura asked calmly. Free frowned a little."I'm paying her back. Do you know how hard it was to get up from the bottom of that river, when I was stuck in a piece of ice." Eruka, `That was your own fault.` Asura stared Free, and for the first time Free didn't ignore the fact how threatening those red eyes could be. He gasped a little, and he felt a little fear creep closer in each word Kishin spoke.

"Turn her to normal. You should also return that eye. It's not yours." Even thought there was mocking accent in his voice, it was just plain insane that this skinny guy could scare him. But Free knew as he narrowed his eyes, that this skinny guy right here was right now, the most powerful person walking on this earth. A god.

Still, even though the Kishin's presence scared him, He declined. "No."

Asura's grip on Free's wrist tightened awfully lot but his face didn't give any signs doing so. Free however tried to writhe away but couldn't get his hand off from the grip at all. How could such thin man's grip hurt so much.

"Free are you ok-geko?" Eruka asked from the bushes. She still didn't dare to move. "Y-yeah. I'm ok." Free tried to convince his partner.

"So you're not going to make the ice melt?" Asura asked again. Free grinned despise being in pain. "Sorry pal but no can do. She deserves at least that much." Asura was quiet. His grip got even more tighter and Free felt as his wrist broke but didn't scream. If he would have screamed it would have been because he was scared. Asura let go of Free's wrist and stared him a while. Free was facing the ground and holding his wrist. Asura started walking over to the bushes where Eruka was.

`W-wait? Is he walking towards me-geko?` Eruka started to panic a little. Eruka slowly felt her gaze come up as the rustling sound started. A pale hand went through the green and took a hold of her hand as scarves made her stand up. Tears were beginning to form Eruka's eyes. As she obediently walked past the bushes while Asura holding her hand and scarves threatening close to her chest.

"So you don't care what happens to this girl right here then?" He asked and Free turned his head.`Shit!`

"I can take her soul right here and now and then she dies. Would you like me to do that?" Asura asked. To this kind of type hostages always worked.

"No, wait..." Free's eyes widened.

"Do you want her to die?"

"I said wait!"

"So I can take it?" Asura asked a little louder this time and made his scarves do few scratches that were on Eruka's dress making her bare skin come to view and when one of the scarves started to push itself in Eruka's body, in an attempt to take her soul.

"WAIT!" Free shouted.

Asura's scarf stopped and Eruka was quiet. It hurt. It hurt when the scarf was on her skin, it hurt when the scarf almost took her soul, it hurt when he didn't take it.

"I'll cancel the ice so let the frog missy go." Free begged in defeat. Asura let go of Eruka's wrist and let the girl fall to her knees and continue crying with her features being normal, when she didn't quite know what expression should she wear. Free put his hand to Maka's forehead again and mumbled something. Suddenly the Ice that was around Maka started to melt. When her mouth was free she gasped for air. When the melting was feeling was on her hands she couldn't move them. When she was completely out of ice, Maka fell to the ground. She had a small hypothermia by the looks of it. Asura heard Maka's breathing and was somehow relieved that she was somehow, not dead.

"Tell me..." Free asked as Asura's scarves picked up Maka and once again brought her to his arms. "What is that girl to you?"

Asura smiled a little, " The one who always fails to kill me." and walked past the quiet werewolf and witch, disappearing to the growing darkness. They still had to notice that it was already the evening.

* * *

…**...**

Darkness.

`Where am I?` Maka asked herself. She felt so tired..

Maka felt her body being carried. Why was she carried away? Was it Soul? Did he come to her? She slowly opened her dilated and hazy eyes. Her body was not listening to her commands. She was feeling...Cold...

Whose arms were holding her? She was just barely keeping her eyes somewhat open...almost closed. Black hair and red eyes?

Oh it's just you...

Maka buried her head to Asura's chest. It was cold too...

She felt him stop walking. Why wasn't he walking? Maka opened her closed eyes once more and even though the picture was a little unclear, she saw how curious red eyes stared her. Red eyes that that still made her feel that she was naked in front of him. How did he not fear her then? Why was he carrying her around like some precious thing he didn't want to lose or break. Being this close to a demon god wasn't good. She would become too fond of him...

Maybe because she felt extremely safe in Asura's arms that Maka let her eyes close and fall to slumber.

She felt Asura starting to walk again.

* * *

I MADE MAKA MOLEST MAKA! Jesus...

I'm so happy about the comments that you gave me when I was so depressed ;_; Thank you! I'm not depressed anymore! You guys are so amazing. I love you. (The note was there only when I was editing 2-9 chapters. The changes are not major as stated and you'll be able to continue reading this story, no matter which chapter you're in :D)

I have serious problem when writing battle scenes Asura vs ….someone..., because they really haven't shown what he can do in the manga. Of course there was that battle between him and Shinigami but hey! Not that kind. Because When I read the manga I kind get the feeling that Spartoi grows stronger and stronger and when they're finally against Asura, they lose really fast. Or then that's my mom senses telling me that I just don't want Asura to die (Damn you Anime!)

Please keep reading sideways! I love you all! Until the next chapter and the name is: Little adventure of four people in different location. of :D!


	16. Little adventure of four people

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

Chapter.16. Little adventure of four people in different location.

_Since the halcyon days are far behind my back already._

"Hey."

Maka, grabbing tighter what ever she was holding to, caused Asura a great misery. Now he couldn't go to eat. What was so attractive about his legs? Maka was currently on the ground and just decided to curl around them and...after that she apparently decided to sleep with them. Well not that she already wasn't asleep to begin with. Humans needed sleep. Humans needed to be taken care of. Well not all of them. Asura, himself was an exception. Sometimes it makes him wonder is he already dead since he doesn't need to sleep, he can't eat human food anymore. He doesn't taste anything. He doesn't need to be taken care of. He doesn't need affection.

Now that he thinks about, after lifting his gaze from Maka, Asura doesn't need anything. Except that he may get hungry if he doesn't eat souls.

Maka stirred and curled even more. It was finally raining, and it had been for at least five hours.

"You know..." Asura said quietly and sat one of the hay piles. They were in a some kind of an hovel that was located somewhere in Europe, and it was in the middle of the fields that held yellow oil plants that smelled awful. There must be city somewhere around if there are fields.

"...forget it." he spoke quietly. Maka had some hays in her hair and her face looked stupid when she slept like that. He had to wonder that wasn't her throat going dry because her growing habit to sleep mouth open?

Never mind that. In fact he was getting a bit sleepy. Asura raised his legs, one at time, and walked over to the up straight wooden ladder that led to the hovel's upper deck. It didn't cover the whole upper space. Maybe 1/3?

Since the hovel itself was pretty small...well not so small but still. He climbed up the ladders and crawled over to one comfortable looking hay pile. He yawned and put the hays on top of himself. It still rained and some of the hays were uncomfortable but so what.

* * *

It was all black and there were two boys. They were walking forward and by the sounds of it, they were also arguing.

"How can you not know where we are?" Soul shouted and was walking right behind Gopher who tried to not even acknowledge his existence. Soul was loud. And since Gopher was used being in quiet places, right next to his Noah-sama, who was certainly now worried where he was. Or not.

"how does it feel that we aren't making any progress in getting out of here?" Soul asked again, this time more calm. Maka was surely very worried about him. But we should not panic. Panic was the last thing you wanted to do in this weird, illogical, soul-doesn't-know-what-to-say blackness.

"Man, how did we even get ourselves in here?"

Gopher turned around, having a unreadable expression on his face, "Shall I explain it to you since you have already forgotten?"

"Go ahead."

"Two stupid people got lost, one smart person helped the other and went to get the one who was left behind. Smart person get harassed by animals and so does the stupid one. Two persons in two trees, animals get distracted, two persons think "Hey this is our chance!" and run away, it starts raining sheep and two persons find a suspicious black hole and jump into it. That sums it up." Gopher said and sat down.

"That already went over the weird line we have normally." Soul said and put his hands to the pockets of his white spartoi jacket. It was, unlike Maka's clothes, very clean just like the rest of Soul. He had magically dried when being in this god knows what place for at least a day.

"Hey I'm hungry." Soul said. It was so not cool to complain about being hungry to your enemy but he hadn't eaten for a...very long time.

"Hey, I'm hungry too." Gopher said, being slightly annoyed with his traveling partner already. But so was Soul. Of course Maka complained about things but not like this bastard, and Soul still hadn't forgotten how Gopher was ordered to kill Maka many times, over and over. Of course he failed every time but still. Where was Maka? And why did this blackness seem so familiar to him?

"GAH!" Soul shouted and grabbed his white hair with his hands. Gopher turned and raised his eye brow. What now? Was the hair not done well enough?`Did he lose his hairband?`

"What is it Evans?" Gopher asked and turned around. Soul was now squatting and his arms laid lazy on his knees. This pose was definitely cool. Gopher just stared. Was he just practically trying to annoy the black haired Spanish boy more?

"So what the-"

"You know I have been thinking." Soul interrupted him."Why am I following you?" He asked and frowned at Gopher. The other just raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Soul sighed," Why am I following you since I could go that way. Alone." Soul pointed the blackness at right.

"Well go ahead then." Gopher scowled."You could have left when we came here."

Soul stood up and threw his hand at the side. "Do you actually think that I would have done that?" Then Gopher noticed something. He ignored the albino's shouts and insults and focused his gaze to the thing that was right next to soul. Large red head compared to the body, too long hands, eyes that were like huge plates and had black lining around then and long big nose. Did it have elf's ears and horns? Gopher stared it as Soul continued with his rambling. How come it was staring him? How come it was wearing black pajamas and cup of hot chocolate in its other hand...

Mascot?

"What might you be staring at?" Little demon said with its very manly voice. Gopher must have jumped at least five feet up in the air screaming a little. Soul had his monotone face on.

"What are you doing?" Soul asked and stared Gopher at the same time as little demon sipped his hot chocolate and stared the poor boy too. Gopher was absolutely frightened while being on the ground. Not only it looked extremely pissed off, but it also radiated insanity. What the hell was that? Gopher pointed his finger to Soul's side. Soul looked what was there and nearly got a heart attack.

"YOU AGAIN?"

The red demon's gaze however didn't leave Gopher. This would definitely cause some traumas for the poor boy.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Soul asked. The demon once again sipped the hot chocolate, Staring gopher, while staring Gopher, he was sta~ring gopher. Soul just had to wonder did the demon sleep since it had pajamas...Maybe it was sleeping...what was it even doing here.

"Soul, since when did you start bringing your friends here?" It asked and still stared Gopher.

"Evans! Do you know that?" Gopher asked, feeling chill ran across his back.

"Who are you brat?" It asked very rudely. Soul didn't like where this was heading...

"G-Gopher." Gopher said and bowed.

"You don't need to bow to this low level creature." Soul said and after that was immediately on the ground since the demon had kicked his legs and then stepped on his head and growing in size. Now he had a nice chair and Soul's head was almost crushed. The little demon supported its head with the hand that was on his knee, and the mug was on the other hand. Gopher gulped a little. How could a little thing grow in size so fast.

"Seems like you have Grigori soul." The little demon suddenly said portentously. "And, on top of it all it's stained." It sighed.

"If that was an insult then I will execute you in the name of Noah-sama!" Gopher suddenly shouted and glared the demon. The sudden change in the mood surprised the red demon. So the similar feeling he got when in the black room came from him and not from the , they were similar. That girl and this boy... Soul vacant and hands stained. Just like that girl. Eyes holding determination and stance ready for a fight. Just like that girl. Getting pretty annoyed if someone insulted someone dear to them. Just like that girl. Little demon smiled so wide that for Gopher, it looked like its smile reached its ears and over.

"What are you?" Gopher asked with wide as as the ogre once again chanced to its original size wearing double breasted black suit

"Yes, you're good, very good." the demon says and giggles. Gopher begins to get irritated. Soul started to come to his senses and mumbled something insulting to the demon. The demon walked closer to Gopher and as if walking up the stairs, he walked right in the air, to the front of Gopher.

"So you want to know who am I, Hm?" It asked and smirked again. "I'm the useful part of that useless part right there." It said and pointed Soul. Gopher blinked, his brain was already working to the fullest.

"So you say that the albino is actually you?"

"Yes. Correct."

"Let me try to comprehend it."

"Take your time."

Gopher put both of his hand to his head and squeezed. It didn't work. But it always worked! Gopher ran to Soul and tried to wake the drowsy teen up even more. It actually worked. Soul stared Gopher with sleepy eyes.

"wha?" He asked.

"TELL ME IT'S NOT TRUE! TELL ME YOU'RE A REAL ALBINO AND NOT SOME RED GARDEN GNOME!"

"Dude you're killing me..."Soul was holding Gopher's hands that were on his throat and tried to get them off before Gopher realized and then let go.

"Sorry."

Soul corrected his tie and Gopher watched him to stand up. Gopher didn't however realize that the little demon jumped and landed on top his head. When it began to talk to Soul Gopher didn't hear anything. He was locked away from speech and hearing. Now They could have a private conversation.

"Soul, what are you doing here?"

Soul blinked. "What am I doing? I'm lost! I'm utterly lost and don't know where I am and where Maka is!" He shouted to the other. The little demon half closed his eyes and it wasn't smiling any longer. "Don't know where you are?"

"Now how the heck should I-"

"You're in your mind." The demon interrupted. Soul was quiet. In his mind? That was absurd! How could Gopher come to the space between reality and black room? He didn't even know if Maka had been there, but in Black room she had been. But what if Gopher would arrive at black room? Soul stared the black haired boy whose hazy eyes stared the ground. The little demon watched as Soul was in some state of a starting to panic.

"You know Soul, only people who have compatible soul with yours can come here. Do you know what that means?" It asked and sat down. Gopher must have been taking very good care of his hygiene and outer look if the demon was so comfortable on his head. Soul just stared with a really angry scowl with widened eyes.

"No, That can't be...It's not true!" he shouted but the little demon interrupted his shouts for protest.

"That boy is compatible with you and if you, being useless by yourself, won't find your precious little girl, then how about this. Take him as your partner." It smiled and its eyes showed the usual gleam in them. Disgustingly yellow eyes.

"NO! Maka's the only one for me!" Soul shouted.

"You can't deny the truth maestro."

Soul couldn't say anything. He looked hopeless. What if the little demon was right? What if there was someone as good as Maka who ironically had the same kind of soul so they could perform the same tricks that Maka and he had done? What if Gopher could come to the black room? What if he saw the piano? What if He would say same kind of things as Maka did? What if he would become Soul's new meister...No one really knew about Gopher, but Stein would see that his soul would be corrupted. Would they accept him as a replacement for Maka?

"It seems like you're beginning to understand." The little demon remarked.

"I refuse! I refuse to take him as my meister!"

"Soul. It's not your heart that decides. It's your soul. And the choice has already been made."

As the demon jumped off from Gopher's head the hazy eyes changed to the living ones once again.

"Uhh..my head hurts." He complained but when he gazed Soul one look was enough to shut him up. "What's wrong Evans?" Gopher asked and took away the palm that was on his face. His headache was already gone. Soul didn't answer. There were different kind of questions in his head right now, that were on completely different level.

"Evans?" Gopher waved his hand in front of Soul's face but got no response. A little tick appeared in his head. What was so damn important in his damn head that it would resort in ignoring him? "HEY, EVANS WAKE UP!" He finally shouted and slapped him in the face making Soul's face turn to the side. Soul seemed to come off from his trance.

"huh?" He said and put his hand to his cheeks. It was probably red and hot and it hurt a little. He turned his dumbfounded face to face the Spanish boy who seemed to have a look of satisfaction.

"Good. You can hear me. Now what are you sulking about?" he asked and put the hand he hit Soul with to his hip. Soul was quiet for a while.

"No...it's nothing at all." He said to Gopher looking for something with those red eyes. Gopher wasn't bothered by it now.

"Why are you lying?"

"You don't need to know."

Gopher sighed. "Let's go then."

* * *

A hand moved away the hays that were hiding the pale skin. The hays were really uncomfortable for her to move away so how could he sleep on them? Maybe she was just being a little spoiled princess. The black dress was now solid and the hem wasn't flying around like it did in the forest. There was just no need to fight right now. Maka was right now enjoying the vulnerable state of the man that was just few days ago, almost about to kill her. She threw the little hay pile in her hands to the side and smiled.

"Now hello there..." She said quietly while squatted and gently moved few black hair locks away from his face. The white, vertical eyes had hays in them, almost just like the rest of the head, but ironically the eyes had the most. "My little Kishin." She hummed quietly and let her knees fall to the deck. When she tried to touch Asura's hand that was right next to his face, it passed right through. The replica frowned. She wasn't solid enough, or then...

A blue soul trashed around and destroyed the deck a little. The replica turned her head calmly to see her real version standing on the deck with furious face expression.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Maka asked and tried to hide the anger in her voice.

"I came to see him." the other answered and turned her head back to the sleeping Kishin. The dress once again moved a little when she moved her head closer.

"Hey stop that!" Maka yelled and grabbed the other's arm. The black blood however rejected her and the spikes that came out from he armor of the arm, went through Maka's hand. Asura stirred and the replica turned her head once again, but this time her finger was on her lips.

"Shh...He's going to wake up." She said slowly and the dirty blond colored forelock covered her eyes. Maka frowned. She had the injured and bleeding hand on the other hand. That hurt.

"I pity him." the other said and fondled his cheek. "You should let him sleep when he can." She shot Maka a dead glare. Maka wasn't however scared of her face, so she just returned the glare.

"Get away." Maka said and this time, took a hold of her hand and pulled her up. "Don't mess with my abilities and him. Get out and disappear."

The other smirked. "Your ability?" The smirk grew and she started laughing a little."YOUR ABILITY!" the replica yanked her hand off from the other's hold and turned her whole being. "Since when was Black blood your ability? Since when was madness your ability? Never! You reject madness with your soul and now you possess that anti-demon wavelength of your. It must be hard to be around you since you can't understand anything about madness! So don't you say that it's your ability-" She was interrupted when scarves slowly appeared behind her. Maka whose wide eyes that appeared when the replica started speaking only widened when Asura threw her against the hovel's wall.

"Please..." He tiredly poked his head out of the hay pile, "Take your fight outside. I'm tired." He said frowning and rose to a sitting position while having his legs crossed. Having sitting quite close to the wall, the replica was allowed quite close.

"Did I wake you up? I'm sorry."She smiled but the expression quickly turned to a sad one. The rain soothed Maka's heart beating and she was confused. She had a nasty feeling in her stomach. "Say, Asura..."

He didn't answer. Just looked at her.

"Does it hurt?" the replica finally asked. Asura raised his nonexistent eyebrow ans seemed surprised. She leaned closer closer and asked again, "Do the fragments of Shinigami hurt your soul right now?"

Asura froze. How did she know about those? Only he should know about them. "What?"

Maka thought she didn't hear correctly. Fragments of Shinigami-sama? What fragments? Was he in some sort of pain? What was going on? Maka's mouth was slightly parted.

"It must hurt." the replica's voice also seemed to be in pain when she spoke. "It must be horrible to sleep, even though you only see nightmares and when you fight you cannot even use your own powers to the fullest and-"

"Enough." He interrupted her, but she would have shut up anyway. The look he was giving her was scary. "It's none of your business am I hurt or am I hurting. Now disappear and forget those things." He said with a stern voice.

"Fine. But wait a little."The replica turned her stare towards Maka and smiled. "You asked what the hell I'm doing here." She said to her. Maka blinked.

"yeah. So?" she answered. The feeling in her stomach wasn't taking itself to leave. In fact, it became worse. Maka's bleeding hand was behind her back so Asura didn't see it. He also ignored the blood on top of the hays very well. The replica answered with mocking voice, "I've come to take one of those fragments away."

Maka's eyes widened as the other put both of her hands behind Asura's head and made it so that they kissed. Familiar feeling crept into the kishin's mind and he backed away a little but only making it so that she be on top of him. Fear for her. Wasn't she actually that girl's, that was standing right next to him, madness so weren't they actually the same person. The fear he didn't have for this one person made it's way past his soul. For this ONE person that there wasn't any fear for! At the same time he also felt something leave his soul...

Maka stared. The feeling in her stomach was unbearable. She was going to throw up. What was she doing. What was her madness doing with the demon god? She felt her body go limp and her brain stop working.

_Now he's like papa. Now he's going to leave me for a woman. I don't want there to be another papa. I don't want to experience the same things mama went through, I don't want to leave him, I' don't want him to become papa. Why's there another woman with him, what am I doing? Stop it, don't touch him. _Maka clutched the right side of her head and buried her fingers to her skull and squeezed and watched. Her hair was between her fingers and she felt that there might be a need to redo the other pigtail. _Don't you dare to touch him...don't make him the kind of man you made papa..._

Before she even realized she had yanked the other off from the frightened kishin and lunged after her before throwing her off the deck. When the replica fell onto her two feet, Maka jumped on her and forced to collide with the floor. The other gasped. The looks Maka was giving to the other weren't pretty. The black dress started to change owner and it had already put its armor over Maka's hands and with her injured hand, She started hitting the replica.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" She hit her again. Asura looked over the deck, to the ground, and he saw that the madness was taking its foothold in the girl's soul.

"Wait!" He shouted but Maka ignored all of his shouts to stop. She was going to smash this ones skull and no one was going to get in the way. He used two of his scarves and tried to take a hold of Maka's arms so that she would stop hitting and so that the screaming that it hurt, would stop. She was hurting herself! The scarves however, were destroyed. His eyes widened. This wasn't good.

The replica's face was decorated in pure horror as the black dress was already on Maka's hip and making it's way to her chest, but that wasn't the scary part. A big black scythe's blade appeared from her arm that she was hitting the replica with.

"Wa-wait! Stop!" The other tried to get free and tried to disappear but Maka didn't let her. Asura was just about to come off from the deck and stop what Maka was doing, and just before the blade hit the other's chest, a giant wavelength washed over them. At least it was to Maka who stopped moving and her berserk mode was off too. She was starting to come to her senses. The other took this as a chance to escape. Maka stared the closed door of the hovel with a frown.

"It's a witch. But not powerful one." Asura said. He was right behind her.

"How is it not powerful! Try to feel the damn wavelength!" Maka shouted to him but when she turned her head to stand up and face him, Asura her a worried look.

"hey!" Maka said and tried to reach him with her hand but he slapped the hand away. Maka winced a little because this was the hand that was injured. He looked...worried, afraid and...what? What was the last emotion? Anger?

"Asura what're you-"

"Stay away." He said. Maka had to back away a little since his madness was polluting the air. It was hard to breath. The madness made her to grab her chest and gasp for breath. Maka's hand never reached the other since he opened the door of the hovel and walked away into the rain. The black dress was long gone and Maka turned her head to look the door. It had closed. A little tick appeared on her head. The witch was out there, and now, Asura who didn't trust her was out there.

"The heck I'm going to be left behind!" She shouted and opened the door. Rain felt refreshing.

* * *

"Evans! I see light!" Gopher shouted and rejoiced. Now they would be able to get out!

"What? So you say there's an exist!" Soul took the hands that were in his jacket's pockets, out and looked heck of a surprised. The light! It became closer and closer and then it just swallowed Soul and Gopher.

"Can you see it?" Soul shouted and shielded his eyes from the white but bright light. Too bright.

"Yeah! I, I see..." Gopher shouted."...Palm trees and water." He turned his head to look soul and had a monotone expression on his face. The light wasn't there any longer. Gopher used his Grigori wings and stayed on the air, but Soul fell straight into the bright blue water.

"Idiot." Gopher said and eyed the surroundings. Were they in Hawaii or something? Cuz the description fit the bill 100%. Pal trees, girls that had hula costumes and flowers on their head and around their neck, some stupid music on the background and surfers and lots, lots of tourists. The Sun was already burning Gopher since he wore nothing but black.

"GAH!" Soul came to the surface and coughed a little. They had came right above the sea, and the beach was...well not so close but close enough for Gopher to see what he just had thought.

"You could have at least taken my hand!" Soul shouted. Now he had to swim to the beach. With WET and heavy clothes. Gopher started walking to the beach and seemed to have abandoned Soul. Soul started swimming.

_**After they reach the beach, maybe in 10 minutes?**_

Soul was panting. He was also taking support from his knees. `Th-This is so not cool...`

Gopher was talking with the locals and got to know that they really were in Hawaii, and they had landed right in front of the biggest island of all the eight island which make Hawaii. The Island of Hawai'i. Gopher was secretly glad that it wasn't China or Iraq that they landed to. Chinese would have probably thought that they were magic creatures or witches, and Iraq would have been EXTREMELY hot, and the people there aren't so friendly...

`I would have liked to gone to Spain...` a single tear escaped from Gopher's eye as he tried to understand what the other was trying to say to him. Tourists weren't so good to telling what was going on. After struggling with his tanned advisor Gopher had come to known where the town was if they would go in there.

"Hey Evans we-" Gopher stopped when turning around and watched as Soul was lolling on a white deckchair and sipping some coconut juice from a coconut that had a pink umbrella and a blue drinking straw coming out from it, and then there was the main dude, who had miraculously changed clothes in less than few minutes and was now wearing a yellow Hawaii shirt that was open and white shirts + black sunglasses. Not to mention the black hairband that was now decorated in blue flower.

"I decided to charge my cool batteries. And all the cool guys must be doing this at some part of their lives." Soul said sipped some juice. The palm's shadow was now over Gopher. As two girls in bikinis walked along the beach they spotted Soul. One of them started staring and the other eyed the ground. Soul raised his sunglasses and had a frown on his face. The girl got a really red cheeks right after she had seen his face. She actually ran to him.

"Hey! Wanna go and eat something? Do you wanna go to swim?" She started asking. Seriously! She acted like a teen who got her first crush!

"I don't have money to eat and no energy to swim." Soul answered. A glimmer of hop lit up on the girl's tanned face and the long brown hair came down from her back.

"I can treat you if you want!"

Gopher watched Soul to get up and speak to the girl. She nodded each time and smiled. Then when it was over Soul walked over Gopher and took his hand and dragged him from the shadows to the two girls.

"What just happened?" Gopher asked with a blank expression. Soul smirked. "I made it so that they treat both of us, show us around the island, and the prize is cheap too."

"What does it cost?"

"I have to be her boyfriend for a day."

"I knew it." Gopher slowly let his head fall and blue lines appeared over him. How did Albarn not get angry to her weapon if he was like that? He was already missing his Noah-sama...

* * *

"Hey Mister!" Maka shouted and waved her hand. A farmer turned his head. He had just came home when an utterly wet girl ran to him and asked that did he have an umbrella.

"Of course I do. What'cha gonna do with it?" He asked and drove the tractor to the big hovel that was right next to the main house.

"I lost someone. I need an umbrella cuz I'm cold and I don't wanna be more wet.

"Well you're already pretty much a drenched dog to me." He said and dug up the black umbrella from the stuff that was in the hovel. He gave it to Maka. "Here you go missy."

"Thank you." Maka bowed and ran to the downpour.

Asura could be anywhere. So she should find him as soon as possible. Her hand was hurting but right now, that didn't matter. What if he would confront the witch? If she had heard the replica right, Asura wasn't capable of using his powers to fullest. What if he would lose?

The trees that held no leaves, looked really dark and they made the forest seem like it was haunted. If she wasn't wrong, it was already September. Maka's shoes were all muddy and hard to walk with and uncomfortable since they were wet. Since entering this forest was so easy, where was the witch?

When running to a peddle, and the water splashed, it was Grey. Yellow clovers that were under the trees and the almost rotten leaves that were on the ground,smelled awful and if she didn't have to step on them, Maka didn't.

"_He's there if you want to know."_ the Asura in her head spoke, but somehow the voice seemed unwilling to help her.

"Thanks." Maka answered, despite the urge to ask, what was wrong.

"_Do you think he wants to see you?" _Asura asked and directed his gaze to the clouds that were in the dream scape.

"I don't care if he's having some stupid depression over what happened but I'm going to him!" Maka said a little more loudly this time.

"_He's not having a depression over anything. He left because you lack control."_

"What?" Maka stopped running. Asura materialized right in front of her and stared. The rain began to water the black hair locks immediately and she could see how the rain drops got crushed when they hit his shoulders. "Control? I lack control over what?" Maka asked. The hallucination walked closer and took a hold of the hand that was injured. The umbrella fell to the ground and Maka no longer had protection from the rain.

"_You lack control over this."_ Asura violently yanked Maka's arm and touched the elbow and slid his hand from there to the palm of Maka's hand. Immediately a black scythe's blade appeared but his hand didn't let go of her palm. Maka tried to back away a little. She was clearly shocked.

"What did you do?" She asked quietly.

"_nothing."_

"ANSWER ME! WHAT DID YOU DO?" Maka screamed hysterically and tried to pull her hand off from his grip but it didn't work.

"_My physical power are above yours."_ He reminded her again.

"HOW COME THERE ARE SCYTHES THEN COMING OUT OF MY ARM! I'M NOT A WEAPON!" She shouted.

"_But you are a weapon. You're a meister too." _Asura said with a calm voice but didn't let go of her hand. Maka stopped moving. Her green eyes eyed the man and unsure how to react.

"Did you know that I was a weapon too?"

Asura was quiet. Maka didn't like that stare, she didn't like how those red eyes judged her, she didn't like it how they were supposed to interpret, how was she supposed to hold those eyes. That's right. She didn't know. And Maka hates everything she cannot comprehend or understand, so the green eyes were now staring the ground. Avoiding the judging red ones.

"_I know, __She__ knows, and He knows. No one else knows anything." _Asura answered again. Maka's mouth was slightly parted. He took the other wet pigtail to his hand, bended his back and put his mouth to her ear. Warm breath came to her neck and ear and Maka flinched. If the rain wasn't present someone would have heard him, she was sure. If that witch was here, she would have definitely heard the next sentence. That sentence, wasn't going to leave Maka's head for a long time.

"_I'm always willing to be a substitution if you become too jealous."_ he whispered to her ear. Maka was still. The forelock covered her eyes but her mouth was still a little parted. Even when she realized that the other had already disappeared, she didn't move. The warm feeling on her ear and neck stayed and not even the cold rain was able to take it away. She picked up the umbrella and started running towards the direction her Asura had told her to go.

* * *

"EVANS DUCK!" Gopher shouted and Soul was right on the ground. Gopher used his wings that grew from his right arm to attack the enemy. They had ran to a bunch of Kishin eggs when the girls had showed them around the island. The girls had already ran away and now it was just the two of them fighting against, the growing enemies. Gopher immediately drew his wings back when one of the enemies made a wound to it. His face looked furious.

"You dare to wound these wings that Noah-sama personally filled with his magic?" He shouted and the mouth that seemed like decorations, that was on his black vest, opened and started loading itself with magic.

"That's going to destroy something else too if you shoot it here!" Soul said.

"NOAH-SAMA!" Gopher shouted and there was a beam of light coming from his opened vest. Ten of the Kishin eggs got destroyed and the rest were in panic when the vest closed. Soul stared with a blank look. All the things that were on the beam's path got destroyed and there was a huge groove and the smoke was filling the air. Gopher smiled with self satisfaction.

"There you have it. Taste the power of Noah-sama!" Soul was standing right behind Gopher. Didn't this guy think at all? How the heck were they supposed to clean that up?That would definitely be in the news. The enemies were beginning to regain their usual "cheerful" atmosphere. That wasn't good. Soul and Gopher were back against back again and tried to defend themselves from the enemies. Soul heard the little demon speaking to him in his head.

"_I told you you need a meister. See how weak you're without someone to handle you."_ it snickered.

"Shut up! I can be strong alone. I have this under control!"

"_Have it under control?"_ it laughed, "_"of course you have it under control. You always have everything under control! You had everything under control when you fell into that black hole with missy, you had everything under control when you lost her, and now, when almost getting yourself killed, you still have it under control. Listen how pathetic you sound Soul." _It sat on the big chair of the black room and tapped its fingers against the armrest.

"Shut up! We can do this!" Soul shouted in his mind and dodged yet another blow, but it caused him to have a scratch on his arm. It was bleeding.

"Evans!" Gopher shouted and turned around. Soul saw how an enemy charged forward after seeing an opening. Gopher's eyes went wide and Soul quickly stood up transformed his arm to a scythe's red and black blade. It went right through the Kishin egg and it got destroyed.

"Don't let your guard down!"

"Thanks." Gopher thanked and was once again using his grigori wings to block the attacks and attack the enemies.

"_This is ridiculous. You're a weapon and he's a meister and yet you work separately." _

"We are not having a partnership here so give up and let me concentrate!" Soul shouted at the other again.

"_I wonder how long you're going to be like that." _It said and after that it didn't speak. Soul gritted his teeth. Was there really no other way...

"Hey you!" Soul shouted and Gopher turned his head. The red kishin souls hovered behind the Spanish boy. "What?"

"Do you know how to use a weapon?" Soul was blown backwards when one of the enemies threw him in the air. Gopher used his wings again to save the albino boy and to kill the one who threw him but it deflected Gopher's attack and what's more, Gopher got a deep cut to his abdomen. He gasped out blood.

"USE ME!" Soul shouted and took Gophers hand. Soul's face looked desperate. They were going to die, even if he was a death scythe, they were going to die if he wasn't handled by a meister! Gopher took a firm hold of Soul's hand and stood up. His other eye was closed, mainly because the pain was almost unbearable. Soul watched from his blade as the enemy lunged forward but Gopher wasn't moving.

"Hey! It's coming! What the hell's wrong with you!" Soul screamed when the other really wasn't moving.

"I..I can't..move.." Gopher said and almost fell down but still supported himself with one knee being on the ground.

"What!" Oh no. These were the side effects because their souls weren't on the same level. Or at least not at the same wavelength. `Shit. This is just like what happened with Black Star!´ The albino boy thought and remembered their fight with Kid. If one wants to form a partnership, there has to be acceptance and trust. The souls have to understand each other and they cannot form a relationship that the other works and the others being lazy. They have to be in a harmony! Gopher and Soul's souls weren't anything even close to that! It would be a miracle if He would be able to use soul and soul him, but they just met again!

When the enemy's hand had almost descended over to Gopher's head and the Spanish boy closed his eyes. Soul moved himself and appeared out of the scythe. `Just like with Maka...`

something warm appeared on Gopher's face. He opened his eyes to take a little look, but when he raised his head, his view was filled with blood. Soul was standing right there in front of him and the old wound had probably opened. The one he got when Chrona did the same thing to him. Gopher watched Soul to stumble backwards and finally fall over to him and Gopher caught him. There was confusion and shock in his features as he stared how Soul was desperately trying to breath.

"Why...?" Gopher whispered quietly. His Black Hair fell down as much as it could, while being so short.

"I told you to not let your guard down..." Soul said quietly while having his eyes closed. All of the Kishin eggs that had some sort of blades with them, started running forward. Gopher used his wings to shield them, but it also hurt a lot when scratches were made. He raised Soul's unmoving body from the ground and put it against his chest so that he wouldn't get hurt.

"You can relax." He said quietly. "I'll protect you now." And the wounded wings let the enemies pass and a blade ascended over Gopher.

A little light appeared in the blackness of soul's world between reality and black room. Bubbles left Gopher's mouth as he was unmoving. Madness...Yeas, this was the feeling of drowning in madness. The wound he had in his abdomen bled there and the blood that came out began to transform to black, but Gopher's blood that was inside, stayed red. He opened his round eyes, the wound was open but it didn't hurt.

"_Madness can take away the fear of pain..."_ the little demon said and smiled right in front of him.

"_**Where am I..." **_his voice seemed weird...was there too much blood in his throat?

"_You've come here because, even if it was for a second, your souls reached the same level. Come inside. Take a step."_ The red demon said and gestured that you're welcomed. Gophers black clothes rustled and he took one step after being still for a while. The moment that happened it was like he came through a wall of water and his right feet descended upon the tiles of the floor. The red curtains were hiding him well but when he came completely out, he was seen.

"Come and take a seat." the little demon gestured and Gopher walked over to the only chair in the room. His blood was still coming out from the wounds. After sitting down, Gophers head cocked to the side and his arms rested on the armrests of the chair. His eyes were half lidded.

"Where is this...?" he asked very slowly.

"This is called Black room. It's the place in the depths of that fool's soul. You could say that, this is the shape of his soul." the demon stared the boy who seemed to have a blood coming from the corner of his mouth.

"Where's Evans?" the other asked and the demon smiled so wide that Gopher remembers that freaky smile for the rest of his life. "He's trying to enter your soul." was the blunt answer.

"Are we resonating?" Gopher asked. He didn't think that he would be able to move his legs any more today.

"You don't want to forget these advises, so listen carefully."

Gopher nodded.

"One, use him well. Remember that his previous meister had a grigori soul too. Two, you can use him when he sleeps. I can't say that he likes but who cares. Three..." the smile widened and the keys to black room were now in the ogres hands. "Fall down to madness and you can never use him well."

Gopher was having hard time listening since he was so tired. A little nap wouldn't bother the other, now would it? He closed his eyes, but Gopher had no idea that the next time he would wake up, all the enemies were all taken care off.

* * *

Asura had walked away. Now he was standing in the rain and staring the witch that was right in front of him.

"I certainty did not expect to the Kishin when I decided to go for a walk." Medusa said. Medium long black hair that was some weird way braided was right on her chest. Her bare feet looked quite clean for someone to walk in rain and in a forest.

"Were you the witch who sent the wavelength around the area?" Asura asked. He had his head protector closed so that his head wouldn't be wet.

"Yes. That would be me." She answered."Releasing soul protect causes that kind of a wave. If I woke you up, I sincerely apologize."

"Why would you need a soul protect in this kind of an area?" He asked again.

"The same reason you're hiding your wavelength right now. Our enemies have become more aware of our situation and they hunt witches down even more since they need more Death scythes." the Hood completely covered her eyes and the rain and the shadows seemed to hide the snake witch even more carefully. The bare branches of the tree's rustled and the peddles grew in size.

"Do you mind if I ask something?" Medusa said.

"No..." He answered quietly.

"Are you traveling with someone?" One venomous golden eye stared him behind the hood but it was visible to Asura. He didn't answer. Medusa chuckled.

"Forgive my rudeness. But you should close your soul so that your companion's, whoever it is, soul wouldn't affect your soul so much.

"Excuse me?"

"I see less fear than I saw last time when I met you."

Asura wasn't really bothered by the stare but the words were a nasty weapon too. He was about to say something when a rock came from behind a tree and would have hit him if he wouldn't have caught it. Medusa was a little surprised to come to know, who the Kishin was traveling with.

"How come you caught it!" Maka shouted with irritated voice. She would have preferred if the rock would have hit its target.

"How come you always try to hit me with rocks?" Asura answered. Maybe HE would have preferred that she wouldn't have found him.

"You might want to come home because she's pure evil!" Maka said being really annoyed and pointing her finger towards Medusa while Maka had walked right next to Asura.

"I don't even have a home."

"Think the whole world as your home!"

"How come you always appear when the timing is bad?"

"How come you always leave me so that I must come and find you when the timing is bad! What were you even discussing by the way?"

"None of your business."

"Now listen! That woman there is the main cause for all the problems that happens on this earth! And that makes her the bad guy!"

"I'm the cause for 90% of natural catastrophes and regular world destroying problems and how come I'm losing my spot as the bad guy in your head?"

"That's simple. You're just a big brat that's in the middle of his puberty." Maka said bluntly. Medusa stared as scarves were attempting to choke the girl but she was resisting them with her hand, but in the end she ended up being on the ground almost choked to dead. Medusa walked next to Asura.

"You have to be even more careful if it's her. Her soul has an anti-demon wavelength that gets rid of your insanity if needed." Medusa,the hood still covering her eyes from the Kishin but when she looked to the ground Maka saw how those two apathetic golden eyes stared her. Medusa raised her gaze and turned to leave.

"I hope we meet again. Now if you excuse me." She said and disappeared as an electric snake came from her mouth and encircled around her being. When there was no more wavelength to sense, Asura opened his head protector and glared Maka. She immediately got up and walked in front of him then she turned.

"What?" He asked. It started with few tears running down her cheeks but they still held their fierce stare. Maka put her hand behind his back and squeezed herself against Asura while burying her face to his chest. That would have been quite confusing and quiet moment if Asura just hadn't realized that Maka's nose was running.

"Whoa! Hey your snot is touching my scarves!" he shouted with a slight tick on his head and tried to get her off.

"I'M SO SORRY! I'm sorry I cut your scarves! I'm sorry I'm dirtying your scarves, I'm so sorry I'm alive! I wanna a single hair in your head." Maka's stare was boring holes to Asura's existence.

"That's disgusting." he said.

Maka backed away and went over to her knees to the ground and buried her forehead to the ground too and put her hands next to herself. Japanese way of apologizing.

"I take full responsibility of what I did! I can control my blades! Look." and at least ten blades came out from her back. They also disappeared. Asura stared her. "Can you forgive me? It's getting quite uncomfortable at here." Maka said but didn't raise her head. He noticed the umbrella that was left under one of the trees. Maka felt as footsteps walked away and she thought that this was it. She was beginning to hide in the shadows but she would follow him! Now instead of a cold good bye, when the footsteps came closer again, she couldn't feel the rain anymore.

"Um..can I raise my head?" She said but didn't move.

"No." Asura said right after she had finished."You're going to stay there for a while."

Now what Maka didn't see was how the worried expression and the relieved expression battled that which one should he wear.

"I'm going to protect you." Maka suddenly said. "I'm going to protect you, and I'm not going to leave until you, or I die."

Asura's lips were slightly parted. He started walking away again. Maka was a little nervous and the tears just fell down. She couldn't stop crying but she wouldn't stop glaring neither.

"You can raise your head." Asura said from under one of the trees. Maka quickly stood up and ran to him. He gave her the umbrella and started walking after him.

But what ever happened, the rain continued to fall.

* * *

**I have just experienced something very exotic. I was forced to wash the floor of the shower room with a NAILBRUSH! **

**It's HOOOOOOOOOT! It's frigging +30-34 in Finland? why? Finland should be a cold country and I don't like summer!Gah, I've been eating ice and ice cream and the ventilator is at max...but it still only blows hot air...I hate summers...**

**This affects my writers personality in the negative way and I can't write so smoothly...This chapter isn't so good...At least my friend said that I made a new crack pairing that she's going to support (Gopher/Soul)...Hot...I made gopher act OOC like...damn...**

EXTRA:

Maggi:HOT!

Maka: HOT!

Asura:...

Maka: How come you're always fine in whatever weather?

Asura: Want me to say that I can be on desert while having the clothes I used to have and still be ok?

Maggi & Maka: IMPOSSIBLE! (with French accent.)

Asura: Bashura always complained about the weather too.

Maka: He should be comfortable in your stomach now...Since you're almost always cold.

Maggi: I HATE SUMMERS!

(Asura stares the duo on the ground.)

Asura:...

(Until next chapter...I die...)


	17. Bright Blue

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

**

* * *

**

At the first time when Maka attacked Asura, he thought that this one was useless, powerless and in every way not the one who would accomplish anything. He defeated her quite simply.

At the second time she had found him hiding somewhere and still attacked WITH her weapon. Useless. He broke her arm as in punishment.

At the third time the girl came alone. She didn't have her weapon. Asura started thinking that could it be that she was an idiot? She lost more quickly than with her weapon. Asura then said for the first time that it was useless, that she should stop coming after him. She started cursing and tried to get up but there was fire in her eyes. Determination. At that time Asura started thinking that, maybe he could use her.

At the fourth time the girl didn't bring her weapon again but she had gotten better fighter. That was one compliment. He started to notice how she had grown in battle, but was still defeated.

At the eight time, He was already getting tired of sparring with her. At least it proved to be some useful exercise. This time he was sure that he could use her to get closer to shinigami.

After that, there was an accident and Shinigami perished from the world. That still didn't stop the girl from coming after him.

At the tenth time, he was the one that came to death city and spread his wavelength so that she would realize him. She did. Asura thought that, good she can still be useful.

The time she used her scythes to destroy his scarves, Asura was quite satisfied. Now she REALLY is battle combat ready.

When the rain became a downpour and the girl was on the ground apologizing to him, he smirked. He would once again start using her. He knew her so well that if he would put up a little act, she would believe it. After a long time in his life, Asura tried to wear worried expression. It worked. As he walked away from the almost dead forest he smiled.

* * *

Chapter 17. Bright Blue

Spirit sat on his bed. He looked grim and sad and he had his squeezing his hands against each other as hard as he could.

Where had his daughter gone off to?

Where was she now? Was she alright? Did she eat well? Had she a place to sleep? Was she alone...?

a sudden click brought him back to earth. The door to his bedroom opened and revealing Tezca Tlipoca.

"What are you doing here?" Spirit asked with a low growl.

"Figured out that I would raise up your mood." Tezca answered in a normal tone. Spirit couldn't deny the feeling that a man wearing an oversized bear's head in a dark room, wasn't creepy.

"Well my mood's already brighter so can you go and let me sulk over the fact that I cannot hug my baby girl?" Spirit asked with a mocking tone and shrugged.

"I don't think you can call your daughter _baby girl _anymore." Tezca remarked.

"You know, I'm really not in the right mood for this Tezca."Spirit massaged his forehead his his right palm as if he was getting a really bad headache right now. Suddenly South America's death scythe started laughing like a maniac. Spirit raised his gaze from the ground that his had been staring for quite awhile.

"GYAHAHAHAHA...I gotta admire that skill of yours...gyahahaha!" he tried to speak during his laugh and Spirit just stared the other with confusion. "What skill?" he asked and frowned.

"That loyalty. That whatever it's called thing that makes you worry for your daughter even when the world's in this kind of an state!" He continued laughing and hit his knees with his right hand.

"It's called caring." Spirit frowned. Tezca stopped laughing he walked over to the red head and bent his back.

"That just doesn't hold."

"What?" Spirit said.

"You know what? I had a friend too. His name was Justin. And I think you know him. But then one day, Justin went away and he ain't coming back because something about our enemies made him stay with them. Now how do you know that the same ain't happening to your daughter?" Tezca asked with serious tone.

"What? Of course Maka comes back! All of her friends are here and Soul is here and I'm here! She's Shibusen's scythe meister which I am proud of!" Spirit stood up and shouted to Tezca.

The bear sighed and stared the ceiling.

"How do you, Spirit, and I ask this as your college and as a fellow death scythe, know that she isn't already on their side? How do you that she isn't walking right next our enemies and chatting with them like it's some friendly conversation? How do you know if she hasn't already found _new _friends to hang out with. Just like what happened with Justin Law?"

"Just stop it. Please..." But instead of listening Spirit the South America's death scythe continued,

"How do you know that the next enemy you need to cut down isn't your daughter?"

Spirit's eyes widened and his arm transformed to a scythe's blade. "That's enough Tezca Tlipoca. I hear no more of your words." Spirit glared his companion with rage. Maka is not his enemy. Maka won't become his enemy. Because Maka is his daughter and it's parent's job to protect their children.

Tezca didn't move when scythe's blade touched his throat and Spirit stopped the blade.

"_Enrique."_

Tezca's death scythe ability was activated and there was now a monkey with a mirror standing right between the bevel's of Spirit's room's door.

"Let's go papa." Maka smiled and took Spirit's arm that had transformed to a scythe. When she touched it a little blood started dripping from her hand.

"ah, Maka!" Even though Spirit knew it was only a mirror image it was still Maka! And her hand was bleeding so he quickly made his arm go back to normal. She didn't care when the man tried to say that the wound must be cleaned but instead started dragging him somewhere.

"Tezca!"

the picture of the girl disappeared and Tezca started yanking Spirit with him. "Let me take you to your daughter. Her image has been reflected in my mirror so I can track her."

Spirit couldn't believe what he had heard but one sort of relief was clear in his eyes. He would see Maka now.

* * *

"Who the fuck do you think you are!" Maka shouted and cut through yet another Kishin egg. She was surrounded! But not defeated. As if such a weak things could kill her. No way she was giving her soul to them.

"It just hurts me to see my own kind to get killed." Asura said and ate another human soul.

"I TOLD YOU TO NOT EAT THEM!" Maka shouted with a lot of ticks on her head. This bastard had went and annihilated one freaking town and ate almost all of the souls. Demon God would have probably continued with his daily routine if the very irritated girl hadn't once again interrupted his meal.

"if it's so _hard _to watch you could just drop the souls and start a healthy diet or eat the red ones."

"I remind you once again that I'm THE enemy. Eating human souls and causing havoc is my job."

Maka cut through yet another Kishin egg but there were simply too many. He needed some super attack to defeat them all!

"GAH!" they jumped on Maka and made a kishin egg mountain on top of her.

"How fitting. And just when your bones healed too..." Asura sighed and ate another blue soul.

"Do...don't you...already..have enough...strength to...beat everyone?" She was trying to speak but these things were HEAVY! They were frigging heavy!

"I can never be too powerful. How cute, I think they like you." Asura said after realizing that few of them were licking her.

"This is gross..."Maka closed her eyes and mouth when they poked and stretched her face in different places.

"Well I'll go now. You can follow later if you want or if you can." He said and came down from the rock he was sitting on and spare her a glance before Maka was completely sucked into the pile of monsters.

"HELP ME!"

**About 2 hours later...**

"Why is there a dead girl on my backyard?" a witch asked and put the broom she was holding down. She had absolutely no intention of going near her. One of the Kishin eggs ran towards her.

"What to do..." the hands of the attacker were already near her throat but she didn't move.

"_Vasili."_

Instead of Free's normal Vasili, the Kishin egg was first covered in frost, then the water from the ground started going around the enemy and made a huge ice pillar that the enemy was frozen into. Little shards of ice scattered around. It happened very fast for magic. Mabaa corrected her bandages and hat and walked closer. Maybe it wasn't so bad bad to take a look. ´Beside the dirty looking clothes, stupid looking face and half dead body this one smells bad.´ Mabaa commented mentally and held her nose. The old woman also noticed few scratches and bruises. ´oh dear...´ she sighed very tiredly and picked up the girl. One miscalculation. The patient was HEAVY! Girls should be light. Mabaa dragged Maka on her back to her broom and picked it up too. Her broom would not hold for two of them. She had noticed the gum bands that held her hair had a skull decoration. ´Then she's from Shibusen. But what's Shibusen's student doing on my backyard?` she thought while trying to open her house's font door. Why was she born to be still small. This lady on her back had long legs! It was a pain to carry her to the sofa that resided in front of the fireplace.

"uuuh...my back..." the small witch complained again and patted her back. "This better be worth it."

.

.

.

The dream scape was as usual. Nothing new, nothing unexpected. Except that Asura seemed to have a cold.

"Why..wait, HOW the fuck did you catch cold in here?" Maka said and tried to get some answers out of him. The hallucination was laying under one of the trees again while hugging its knees.

"You could use some more friendly vocabulary." the hallucination sneezed and coughed.

"I mean it's sunny in here and all. Usually people catch colds when in cold weather, in other words winter."

"I'm a living exception."

Maka had already tried to check the fever and yes, he had it. ´Must be because he was standing in the rain then´, the picture of her Asura comforting herself came into her mind and at the same time she wondered, how the heck didn't she catch a cold?

"This must be karma. It's because I ate those mandarins without your permission." He said with the face of apathy.

"Don't worry. Whatever you did, it has nothing to do with you getting cold." Maka answered straight back and stared the flush on his cheeks and nose. She sighed, "Anyway. Try not to move around and focus on getting better. I don't want to have a _sick _ weirdo in my head." She said and patted his head.

"I'm not a kid. I know what I must do to get over it." He said and pushed the hand away. Maka was surprised a bit but then she smiled. "Yeah. You definitely aren't a kid."

And in the real world:

The weather was absolutely horrible. It blew hard and Maka stared as the downpour came again, and it looked like it would break the glass and come in. It was a perfect weather to just lie in bed and sleep. Maka had absolutely no idea, how she had gotten into one but didn't think much of it.

"Hey. Wake up." Mabaa said and poured the water in the glass she was holding to Maka's face. She immediately got up. "What's wrong with you? Who are you? And now I have water in my nose..."

"Who are you?"

"Who the fuck are YOU?"

"I'm the witch queen Mabaa and I know that you're from Shibusen."

"How do you know that?" Maka said and tried to wipe the water on her with the blanket that was on her.

"You have skull decoration on your gum bands and I know only one person who forces his face into everything." Mabaa said and poked Maka's cheek.

"Ok. So you're a a witch and I'm your enemy. HASTA LA VISTA!" Maka shouted and ran away from the door. Only to find that it wasn't the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mabaa said and made a little gesture and before Maka knew, she was inside icy prison. Mabaa walked in front of the cage and crossed her arms. "Now you're going to tell me who you are."

Maka actually growled the answer, "Maka Albarn."

"Albarn? The one who killed Arachne?"

Maka blinked. "am I famous? How do you know that?"

"Of course everyone knows. You're that stubborn brat who's extremely dangerous to us witches with your advanced soul perception ability. Scythe meister Maka Albarn..." the witch spat.

"By the way what did you do to my clothes?" Maka asked. Right now she was wearing a plain big white shirt and her pants.

"I washed them. Since they smelled, and you smell even now. Why don't we act friendly and you go take the bath I prepared for you?" Mabaa asked and gestured the bars of ice go away. The moment it did Maka glared the woman who threw a white towel to her.

"Might as well take it." Maka said and walked past the witch.

The room had one bathtub in it. The tub was filled with water that had a slight hue of green tea. And she couldn't really complain. It smelled very nice. Little lamp in the ceiling provided all the light she could hope and that's why the room was so bright. Maka inhaled the fume that escaped from the water into the air. This cleared her throat that had started becoming sour. She never really paid much of an attention but Asura's way of living was very prone to risks and unhealthy going. Sleep in the caves or in some random forest without any shelter or warmth. Maybe she would get food too...

"hahaa...I'm becoming quite obedient..." Maka said and tried to be sarcastic. She got up from the tub and went to wash her hair and other places.

Mabaa was in the kitchen making something that involved a pot, herbs, water, nasty looking mushrooms and bones. There were tens of books lying in the kitchen and one of them was open with a bookmark on its open place. The kitchen had only a small light that came from the skull that was on the table right next to Mabaa.

"I thought it would take longer for a girl to wash herself." Mabaa said as Maka tried to stay in the shadows. The witch could tell that she wasn't very skilled in hiding at the shadows.

"Oh. You noticed me." Maka answered and walked behind the witch. "But that doesn't mean you win." She said and transformed her arm to a scythes blade and placed it under the witch's neck. Mabaa kept mixing the soap with her big wooden spoon.

"I had no idea you were a weapon too?" The old witch half and stated the other half. "But it's too predictable if you attack from behind." Mabaa's figure started to glow green and she used spatial magic to make Maka realize she was already back to back with the wall in the next room behind her.

"Ho..how?"

"You're too young. Give it up."

"What?" before Maka knew the small witch was having a firm grip of her throat. She was pushing her down but nothing lethal. But Maka didn't like to think like that. Since in her head witches were cunning and hard to beat enemies that would kill and torture. Well with few exceptions but still! And this here was a queen of the race that was normally dangerous already so, no wonder Maka was a little afraid when Mabaa didn't let go. She had already countered Free's Vasili and had nasty experiences about magic.

"When?" Mabaa asked and stared the girl with her one eye, "When did you figure out you have weapon blood in you?"

"What the heck do you care? Now let go or I'm going to-"

"I don't think so. Now answer my question." Mabaa pushed her even more deeper contact with the floor and that's when Maka had it. Tens of scythe's blades came from her arms, back, legs and neck and made the witch full of holes and cuts. However she didn't let go.

"I'm impressed. You have the same ability as that annoying red haired death scythe. Are you a death scythe too?"

"Now if I would be a death scythe, you would be a corpse already!" Maka shouted and gasped for the little air she needed when the witch let go. Mabaa watched as Maka's wet hair fell over to her shoulders as she coughed and tried to feel if anything was out of its place in his throat.

´Interesting. She has already the capabilities of a death scythe in that age without being death scythe. So the only thing she lacks is experience...´ Mabaa thought and went over to the kitchen once more. The safety-pins in her black dress had a little cloth attached to them that was probably from the curtains that Maka flew against to. She poured the weird soup into two cups and walked over to the sofa in the living room.

"come." she said to Maka who was now standing and patting the bathrobe she was wearing. A little frown was shown in her features but she obeyed. Who knew what the witch queen would do if she was being an ass and decided not to be ordered around.

Soon they were sitting, actually Mabaa was sitting on the sofa and Maka was just on the floor trying to bring up to her best glare.

"There is something that allows you to use your capabilities as a meister even when being a weapon." Mabaa said and handed Maka the cup where the soup was. Maka winced and raised her gaze from the cup. Mabaa sighed. She was right. This girl was interested. "But it's very dangerous and the risks are great. You might become mad." She stared Maka.

"Why are you telling me this?" Maka asked and eyed the cup.

"Because you have a strong soul that only death scythes possess with the moment they swallow witch's soul, but it seems like you're already on their level with out it. You just need some experience. And I want you to do it since I just realized that person can resonate with itself."

"I have to protect someone. And he's very special so normal powers are..." Maka remembered the face of the mad man and looked a little pissed off.

"I guarantee that this makes you stronger." Mabaa said and sipped the soup. Maka seemed to wonder was it okay to trust this witch. She was the enemy but so was Noah and Asura too but she trusted them, so why not trust this fellow.

"I have an anti-demon wavelength so I can't become mad if I don't wish the madness to come inside my soul." Maka said.

Mabaa looked the girl after answering,"Yes. And that's why the risks are great. You see, in this process, you must let the madness overtake you. Otherwise you'll be dead."

"What? There's no way that I'm-"

"You said you wanted to protect someone and that normal measures wouldn't be enough." Mabaa corrected her stare from the raging storm outside to the girl.

"yes but...I have already risked slipping into madness and at the first try I was almost swallowed. Thank god Soul helped me..."

"Well then. Do you want to have a deal?" Mabaa asked and put her empty cup to the table in front of her. "I'll tell you where this ´Soul´ is, and in exchange, you'll try to resonate with yourself."

"Do you know where Soul is?" Maka stood up and raised her voice a little.

"I can use my magical powers to track him." Mabaa said.

"You have a deal!"

Maka spent the rest of the night sleeping on the bed the with queen had prepared and morning she woke up and put her clean spartoi clothes on and a coat Mabaa gave her. She would learn this trick.

* * *

Asura's Dream:

a quiet and cold breeze washed over his being. Asura was quiet and he tried to sleep in his dream even though he knew it would be impossible. He raised his white hands in front of him. Were his hands this interesting before? He was standing in front of Death City. It was night. Asura's mouth was slightly parted. There were his vertical three eye marks on the ground, but that was no surprising.

"_You knew what was going to happen..."_

He turned around. Shinigami was standing right behind him. Now there was fear. Asura opened his helmet and took the scarves away from his face. Fear was in his every feature.

"How are you here?" he asked. Shinigami's being seemed to radiate anger, disappointment and...sadness.

" _You knew. You knew that I wasn't going to survive from it and you still did it. YOU gave ME false hope!"_ even his voice was desperate. Death started coming closer.

"Stop! Don't come!" Asura was about to run away, really but the ominous presence of his teacher wouldn't allow it. He couldn't move.

"_You knew it was pointless, and yet you..." _

"STAY AWAY!" Asura fell down to his back and tried to move away but it was impossible. The fear was taking control of his limbs and he can't get away. No matter what he does.

"_Asura you're always different. You're always afraid, you're always trying to run away."_ now the great being was right in front of him and it was looking down.

"_You're always a coward and desire for more power. **That's why I gave you the fragments of ****myself.**"_ Death said and raised his clawed hand that's about to touch the demon god. The exterior of death is the one he knew from the beginning. Clawed hands, broken mask, ice cold voice, presence is that of a god. This is not the one he fought when he tried to get away.

"_You know everything and you still do it despise the consequences..." _ the black hand ascended on top of his head and at that moment the black cloak goes gone and Asura stares a bare skull. An empty skull of someone but the eyes told a different story. A hand made of bones, no flesh no skin, no muscles. Just a being of bone. Only one hand was enough to cover his head and this...this thing. It was very large. He wanted to say something but Asura couldn't. Fear blocked words, fear blocked movements. The bone hand slides from the head to the shoulders and the thumb slides from the nose to the lips.

"_Asura..."_

"g..go away...please...go away..." He whispers and with watery eyes and garbled voice. Unlike Shinigami that Asura knew, this one was giving a different feeling. A light feeling in the back of his head told asked that _where had he met this thing? _Asura was sure that it was at some point in his life but where.

"_..." _it moved it's hand away and flew over to the death city. Asura was left alone.

Asura fell from the tree's branch he was sleeping on. He hit his head and broke some bones but the damages were easily healed. The fact that his mental state had taken a blow was the thing he needed to worry about. Well that was the first nightmare he had had in a long time.

"uuuuh..."came a little noise from under him. Asura mentally slapped himself after realizing that it was a witch. He should not be seen damn it!

"it's heavy..."

No he wasn't! Asura stood up and watched the lower life form still crawl in the ground. When another witch popped up behind a tree Asura was very sure that he had accidentally wandered to the witch village the Kishin eggs told him about when they were molesting the girl.

´by the way where is she?´ the great kishin asked himself in his head and completely ignored the witches that grew in numbers. Now there were at least 5 of them.

"hey isn't that the Kishin?" one of the witches shouted and dropped the frogs she was carrying letting them get away.

"really?"

"hm?" When Asura turned around all the ´girls´ jumped on him. "Wait! Stop that!" he shouted when one of them started poking his cheeks and another started pulling his scarves.

"Wow. He really stretches!" the small one said.

"And his skin is so soft!" this time it was the skinny one.

"We're actually touching him!" now it was the tall one.

"That's enough!" and that's pissed off Kishin.

After that there were screaming witches but instead of screams of agony and pain they were like,

"kyaah! He's touching my chest!" that sent shivers to the very core of Asura's being leaving him staring the target with shadows covering his face.

"Kishin's scarves are touching my skin!" that happened when he tried to strangle them or break bones.

"He's looking at me!" and there he wished that the glare mode would improve. Maka and Mabaa were actually walking to the village when they heard some of the witches talking that Kishin decided to pay a visit and that maybe they should go and see.

"Why would Asura be here? Shouldn't he be shaking in some unknown corner in the world that no one finds him?" Mabaa asked. Maka actually froze. Yep. She had forgotten the Kishin again. Well surely he could handle himself for a while-

"hey I heard that he's letting us touch himself." one of the witches next to Mabaa said and started running towards the direction where explosions and screaming was heard.

Maka started running to the scene with terminator like face.

**With Spartoi somewhere around Bordeaux:**

"French food is really good."Black Star commented and ate some seafood. Tsubaki had promised to work for the store about a week since they ran out of money. Kilik had also gotten himself a job. So shame that none of them really spoke France but they had gotten themselves a translator. And thank god some people here knew how to speak their language. Actually even Black Star had gotten some money since some Kishin eggs were bothering the citizens and he took care of them.

"Tsubaki! Give me another lobster!" the noisy ninja shouted and handed the plate to the chain weapon that was dressed in her work clothing.

"Black Star do you really have enough to pay all this?" Tsubaki sounded worried and looked the list he had ordered up until now.

"Tsubaki what do you take me!" Black said and threw the money to the table. "I'm a rich man! Gyahahhaahaha!"

Tsubaki sighed. They were going to assembly tonight about in few hours and there they would looks how much money each had gotten. Then they would resume to their traveling.

**Back with Maka and the witches:**

Running like a wild horse, then coming to an absurd stop when realizing that the man, she currently had a little crush, yes she admitted it but only a little, was under the women that seemed to have pudding like ass and some of them had melon like chest.

But that just pissed her even more off.

"ASURA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"

a little red blast came from the pile and from the little space there came Asura's head. It seemed like he was gasping for breath, but only after that he was pulled in again. There were few witch souls hovering in the air but that still didn't help since there were many coming. Maka's mouth was gaping open and with dumbfounded face she jumped in. Mabaa was watching from afar as the two started fighting because to Maka it looked like the Kishin would lose his virginity at any moment.

"MAKA-CHOP! MAKA-CHOP! MAKA-CHOP!" Maka constantly hit Asura with the back of her scythes and the Kishin constantly kept repelling the attacks with his hands and scarves. "DEFLECTED! DEFLECTED! DEFLECTED!"

The witches were already out of the game. Surprisingly Maka was pretty strong when annoyed and took care of them. Mabaa was actually quite speechless when she saw Asura fighting like a little brat over something.

_After 10 minutes:_

Both of them were on the ground but Asura in not so lethal condition.

"Stubborn bitch..."

"Are you leaving or are you staying?" Mabaa asked, a little unsure what to do. Asura just directed a blank stare at her and then pointed Maka.

"Why was my little traveling partner that brings nothing but harm walking with you?"

"I was going to show her something. Are you going to tag along?"

"No. Being with you brings nothing but harm." Asura said and strangled Maka with her scarf making her come down to earth from her dream land.

"Alright. Then let go of her. She promised to come with me."

"What?" Asura asked surprised and fixed his eyes on the girl who was now standing and patting his head from the dust and frogs. "Is it true? Are you really trusting a witch?"

Maka was quiet a while and smiled a bit. She raised the collar of her coat and started walking walking away but turned when reaching the small witch. "Don't worry! I'm going to learn something incredible and find Soul at the same time"

The Kishin sighed and closed the scarfs that were opened on his face."Well then I'm coming."

Maka was slightly happy that Asura was coming with her but she was also worried. Something told her that Asura shouldn't go into the city of Bordeaux right now, since that was their destination. It wasn't far away but still. A nasty feeling was coming to her. They would probably be there in an hour.

* * *

Among all the brightest things the spartoi noticed that Tsubaki got, quite a lot of money from her job. The sun was already up and laughed all it could but it didn't warm the earth. All of the Spartoi members had coats on and some of them had mufflers.

"It's pretty cold." Kilik stated and tightened pot of thunder's coat's belt. He did the same with pot of fire.

"I wonder when it's gonna snow?" Harvar asked and counted the money he had gotten. Ox was standing next to Kim and holding hands with her since Kim complained her hands were cold.

"Let' see...We have about, 700 euros and maybe a little over. I think that is good for now if we're not going to spend a lot of it anyway." Tsubaki said and put the money back to her pocket.

"So should we leave? Maybe we could go and search from some other country?" Ox asked. The wind blew a little harder and people were out to buy stuff as always.

"yeah. We should take a ship and go some other country." Jacqueline said and tried to keep an eye on Ox so that he wouldn't do anything to Kim. The clouds were looking threatening up above their heads and it could start raining at any moment. It was almost the start of November and it wouldn't be weird if it started snowing either. Black Star sat on the nearby bench and watched around. They hadn't called Kid in a while so maybe they should call him tonight.

"I don't think taking a ship is a very good idea. Yesterday's storm was pretty bad and how do we know that it doesn't come back?" Tsubaki said and tried to warm her hands by putting them to her armpits. The people walking on the streets were increasing in numbers which was pretty weird. Maybe French people liked this kind of an feather.

"Well we should go to somewhere. Let's go to the harbor and ask if any ship leaves tonight." Black Star said and jumped up. The rest of Spartoi started following the blue haired ninja.

Tsubaki started talking with Kim and Ox as Kilik was busy carrying his pots as they were shivering from the cold. All of them lived in Death city so this kind of a weather was pretty exotic, except for them who went and did a lot of missions.

"Say...Can I hold your hand?" asked a familiar voice. Black Star breathed a cold air out a little but kept walking.

"Why would you want to do that?" asked another familiar voice but Black Star couldn't really remember if the faces weren't shown. Maybe he was just hallucinating. Harvar walked just in front of Jacqueline who seemed to be in not the sunniest moods.

"My hands are cold. Can I hold it? It's just one arm."

"fine."

Black Star's face was monotone but why couldn't he remember the owners of those voices, but he kept getting a similar feeling about something. Maybe his instinct as a ninja.

The voices were hard to manifest since the people that were also on the streets spoke French and that drowned the familiar voices in them. But Black Star could tell that they stopped talking.

In a second his eyes widened as ash blond haired girl walked past him. She was smiling and Black Star stopped walking and turned his head to look better.

The person he saw was Maka and the other was the Kishin himself but he couldn't confirm it before both of them disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

I'M SO SORRY IF I MAKE THESE CHARACTERS TOO OOC LIKE! I'M SO SORRY! I'll go and die somewhere...*cries * I'm also very sorry for the wait! I wrote this everyday but before I noticed, I had already written it three weeks. Well I noticed something else too:. This story has 21 alerts! Thank you! I Love you! I need you!

And Asura's head protector is open in Bordeaux since it would looks weird for him to walk with it. Among the people. And don't ask me why I didn't make him fear big crowds.

BTW can anyone tell me what's the difference between hits and visitors?

And here's a little spoiler for the next chapter~:

"_It was a girl who had such a familiar face and clothes and she danced with her scythe bringing misfortune to us."_

"_Who?"_

"_A woman wearing spartoi clothes and having a grin plastered on her face and pointing her thumb down, saying, you're going down."_

"_Maka!"_

"_she says: you won't get him."_

**Until next chapter!**_  
_


	18. Nameless destination

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

Chapter 18. The nameless destination

_It's a greenhouse._

Black Star couldn't believe what he saw. His mouth was slightly open and his eyes were wide from shock. What was the kishin doing with Maka? Moreover, why was she holding hands with him? Black Star ignored the other chatter that came from Spartoi and tried to see where the two went. It was nearly close to impossible for Kishin to walk on a street, even though it was late, without killing anyone. The blue haired assassin turned to run after them when Kilik called after him.

"Hey! Black Star! Where are you going? Didn't we want to go to the harbor?"

Black gave him a little scowl, "Tsubaki! Follow me."

Tsubaki was slightly confused when her conversation with Kim was stopped and just let out a small, "eh?", but instead of waiting his partner Black Star ran towards the crowd with a serious look plastered on his face.

"Now what's with him?" Kilik asked and stared Tsubaki who seemed unsure what to do. After not really thinking but doing as her partner wished her to, Tsubaki started running after Black Star.

"So what now? Are we going to the harbor?" Kim asked and took her hadn off from Ox's hand.

"We should." Harvar started walking along the street and the est of the Spartoi members just shrugged and followed.

As they ran among the people and tried to not hit anyone, Tsubaki noticed few drops of rain that fell down from the sky. ´it's going to be a downpour again..´ she thought and tried to keep up with Black Star who seemed to be really far away.

Black Star tried to keep the speed up. Why couldn't he find Maka? He should see her since the people were decreasing in amount. He also felt the feeling in his chest that maybe he should not go there. Tsubaki was following him nicely and after playing tag about fifteen minutes he caught a glimpse of ash blonde hair and spartoi uniform turning to right at the corner.

"MAKAAA!" he shouted and knew that she had heard him. Well at least Tsubaki had. She sped up a little more and when Black Star turned to right from the corner, Tsubaki finally caught up to him. Asura standing right next to Maka was something she didn't want to see.

"Maka-chan!"

"Tsubaki? Black Star?" Maka said while her mind was in serious state of panic. How were they here? Maka wasn't holding hands with the man any longer, who seemed to have no interest to which direction things would progress. Black Star glared the demon god.

"What are _you _doing with Maka?" Black Star asked while being quite ready for battle. Asura didn't answer but Mabaa who was behind him did.

"What does it have to do with you?" she asked and walked between Maka ans the kishin.

"Well we're here to take her back." Black Star scowled. "Tsubaki transform." he said and Tsubaki did as she was told.

"And we're taking that guy with us." Black Star said while glaring the demon god who seemed to be pretty much unbothered by it.

"Black Star! Don't attack!" Maka shouted but the boy wasn't taking it to his hearing system. He leaped over to the Kishin but the attack was blocked by an ice pillar.

"What?"

Mabaa eyed the blue haired boy with her one eye as he fell down, perfectly on his two feet. Her hand made a little gesture and another ice pillar came from the ground. The water droplets were beginning to fall faster to the ground and the sky darkened. Asura closed the scarves around his head to prevent it getting wet and Maka just panicked and tried to figure out a way to stop them.

"The fuck is this?" Black Star shouted another ice pillar came from the house's wall and he dodged it, but he failed to notice the ice spikes the emerged from the ground and stabbed him to the right side.

"Black Star!"

"I'm okay!" was the immediate reply and he took a quick step to the left to prevent getting himself stabbed more than once. His right side was bleeding quite heavily since it was a direct hit and Black Star had to ask himself, how much time did he have until the blood loss would take him out. Mabaa hovered in the air in front of Maka, and raised her hand again making gestures and soon she was using ice bind. Black Star's legs were stuck in the ice and he couldn't move.

"Tsubaki! Demon sword mode!" He shouted and the chain scythe changed to a long katana. "SOUL RESONANCE!" they both shouted and broke through the ice. Mabaa was unaffected however and moved her hat away a little, fully exposing her right eye. Maka what she was going to do and became even more worried.

"BLACK STAR! STOP ATTACKING FOR GOD'S SAKE YOU MORON!" She shouted but when the boy didn't stop and Mabaa's eye started recharging green energy, Maka jumped in front of the boy and hit him with all she got. Black Star only flew few meters back and after regaining his balance he stared Maka with shock.

"Maka what are you doing?Why are you protecting that witch?"

"Shut up! Can't you see that you're almost getting yourself killed?" Maka shouted back with the same volume in her voice. Black Star was just about to start arguing with his friend when a chilly voice stopped both of them.

"Move Maka Albarn. You're in the way." Mabaa said and the demon eye was still recharging itself.

"Don't kill him! He's my friend. We just have to ignore them and leave right?" Maka asked and turned to face the witch queen with a glare. Maka wouldn't be happy if she saw Black Star's corpse lying there right in front of her.

"Leaving with them? Maka what are you talking about?" Black Star said and lowered the sword a little and had features of confusion.

"Shall I make this clear to you?" Mabaa asked witch monotone voice, and it seemed like the eye was just about to shoot the canon. Black Star was quiet as more droplets fell down from the skies. It was already raining and Asura had went and sat on a garbage bin that was under one roof to avoid the rain. Maka didn't say anything, just stared the face of the noisy ninja. Well not so noisy anymore.

"Maka Albarn will not go back to your side. She's staying with us. So you can go and run away before I kill you. If you do not believe me ask herself." Mabaa said. Her hat was very useful in the rain. Not a single drop wet her face or eye but the dress, decorated with safety-pins was wet already.

"Maka...Is what that witch says true?" Black Star asked with wide eyes. He couldn't believe it. Not her. No, Maka Albarn would never leave her friend's side and go to the other. Maka sighed a little. Her clothes were wet again. The already hard rain became a downpour once again.

"Yes. It's true."

"That's a lie." a new voice said. Maka turned to look behind Black Star to see soaking wet Chrona. Black Star didn't quite even realize the meister's presence because of the shock given to him and Tsubaki. Chrona stumbled onwards. "Maka wouldn't do anything like that! Maka hates enemies!" Chrona shouted and looked very confused, as in meaning, how am I going to deal with anything without Maka?

No one really paid any attention to Mabaa who was ready to shoot the canon any time, and to Asura who seemed to get slightly annoyed being in the rain.

"Just kill them." the demon god said and wrapped Maka in one of his scarves. She struggled and shouted his name but the man didn't let go.

"_Demon eye canon." _Mabaa whispered and soon the green light around her eye, transformed to a very powerful green energy blast, but it was different from Free's. It seemed much more worse and deadlier. Maka's shouts weren't reaching her friend's ears and they were hit, well except Chrona who pulled Ragnarok out of her body and answered the attack,

"SCREECH ALPHA!" Chrona shouted but it was really a close call because Ragnarok was screaming inside the blade how fucking much it hurt to take such an attack on. A little of the blast however made its way past Chrona's counter attack and send her flying against the nearest house.

"Asura let me go! They're going to get killed!" Maka cried and tried to free herself from the scarf.

"You're going to die if you go there. Don't overestimate you capabilities." Asura said with a monotone voice. When the attack was over Mabaa corrected her hat again for it to almost cover her head. There was smoke everywhere and the houses where crumbling. The Spartoi members who had decided to go to the harbor, saw the huge green light and heard explosions and screams.

"What's happening?" Kim asked and Jacqueline was right next to her comforting her.

"I sure hope that Black Star and Tsubaki weren't near that thing." Harvar said while sweating a little. The wavelength of the grandwitch hit the whole area, and went even past the borders of Bordeaux causing every witch, meister and weapon to stand on their guard and expect a coming attack.

Asura was still holding Maka as she stared in horror the limp bodies on the ground. Chrona however stood up from the crumbling house. Black blood didn't allow her to get hurt and had already healed the serious injuries. Black Star and Tsubaki were on the ground unconscious.

"I'll not allow you to take Maka away!" Chrona shouted and did another screech alpha towards Mabaa who easily blocked the attack.

"This is tiring..." Asura commented and shot a scarf to Chrona causing her to smash to the building near her. He also sent a little of his madness through the scarf to Chrona's soul which caused her to scream and fall to the floor.

"ASURA STOP!" Maka shouted and Mabaa lowered her hand. It looked like it was over. When the man didn't let go and Maka had had enough, she slapped him.

There was little silence and the girl was sure that if the Kishin would open his scarves around his head now, his eyes would be flaming with anger. But the scarf loosened around her waist and she was dropped onto the ground. Maka immediately ran to Chrona to make sure she was alright.

"Chrona! Answer me! Are you okay?"

When there was no answer and the girl's body lay limp on the floor, the rest of the Spartoi ran to the scene.

"Black Star!" Kim shouted and ran to him. Jacqueline went after her but the rest stared the scene that was in front of them.

"Maka..?" Kilik said unsure what to say. Then his gaze fell to the man and the witch. All of them were quite shocked. Kim tried to heal Black Star's injuries with her magic while Jacqueline was holding an umbrella on top of her head. The pots were hiding behind their meister and Harvar was scowling, as almost always. Ox was quiet.

Now what should she do now?

Maka Albarn was having the hardest moment in her life. Her friends were on the left side and Asura + Mabaa were on the other side. All of them were already wet again, and she tried to think rationally. But it didn't work. `What should I do...?`

She glanced the demon god who was holding his cheek and Mabaa who seemed to stare the increasing members of Spartoi and it looked like she was ready to shoot another demon eye canon blast at anytime or a least use her Magic.

"We're behind the schedule." he witch commented in her cold voice. Maka bit her lip. She had promised to protect...and find soul. Her little adventure was still not over!

"Maka get away from them." Harvar said and took his hands out of his jacket's pockets.

"No."

"What? What is the meaning of this?" Harvar asked again and seemed a little surprised.

"I won't come!" if the tears would have been visible, she would be seen crying right now, but the rain didn't allow anyone to see them and made them fall to the ground just like the droplets of rain. Mabaa made a little gesture as if it being a sign, you're running out of time. Maka closed her eyes for a second and opened them again.

"Stop following me."

Spartoi members were quiet and Maka turned to walk away. Thank god Chrona wasn't dead. Marie would definitely help her to get better.

"what's that supposed to mean..." Kilik spoke in a very low tone and it was almost a whisper. Maka's back was getting farther and farther. "WHAT THE HELL'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?MAKA!"

.

.

.

Maka cried. Tears were falling out from her eyes and she couldn't stop them. Now she couldn't go back. She wouldn't be able to return to her own little apartment and hang out with her friends.

The old witch lady didn't pay attention to her and wasn't really the most comforting figure. Asura was walking up in the air but Maka didn't really expect him to walk beside her after what she did. But he deserved it! Maka scowled as no one was following them. Guess her _friends _really did think of her as the enemy now.

"When are we there?" Maka asked.

"if you would walk faster then soon." Mabaa answered. Maka took that as a insult and started walking faster. How come the rain didn't stop even after for a half of an hour. Now she definitely had to change clothes when arriving to the destination.

"We're here." Mabaa suddenly said. Maka eyed the surroundings. There was still nothing but forest, since they had already walked out of the town.

"Under the ground?"

Mabaa raised her hat and the eye started glowing green again. Instead of a blast coming out, a green wall came to view. The witch made gestures and a door was formed. When the glowing stopped there was a door leading somewhere.

"You didn't seriously think that my little hiding place would be seen by normal eye?" Mabaa asked and walked in. Maka hadn't really gotten used to the fact that anything is possible with ridiculously powerful guys. She glanced Asura over her shoulder and frowned a little.

"She's just showing a little spatial magic and you're already surprised?" the man asked and didn't move.

"I'm still angry at you."

"Do what you want. It's none of my business."

Maka's frown deepened and she walked in. What's with him? Annoying. At first he's all, let's be friends, kinda way and then he's being an ass again.

´I don't know if I can keep up with his personality.´

* * *

**Meanwhile in Mexico:**

In the dessert, three great heroes are having a meal after wandering there and almost dying out of hunger. The names of the heroes are, Noah, Excalibur and the great old one A.K.A, tgoo.

These young men-, excuse me, ONE young man and two decrepit were sitting on a bench and eating, well what else than the most traditional Mexican food, burritos. They were sitting in a straight line and on the background played a dramatic guitar music.

The owner of the burrito stall, that's mysteriously in the middle of nowhere, has mustache and the clothes of a bartender for some reason. This man was greatly bothered by his customers.

´Why does it have to be me who gets all the weirdos! Please, just eat your burritos and go! Go away! Come on, why's only one of them human? And what the hell is that annoying white thing? The black one ain't even close to a person! Maybe they're here to take over the world...?´ the man thought while sweating and having nice realistic features.

All the more suspicious thing was that Noah and his two mates were wearing sombreros and ponchos. And for once...all of them were looking very, very, very depressed. Suddenly the only human, Noah raises his head while sweating because the sun is shining too damn bright and weather is hot.

´Where the hell is Gopher when you need him? We need a translator dammit!´

few little bush round objects were going around and around, the things that are usually in Mexico. The ones many of the travelers see in the desert. Three amigos started walking away from the stall while eating their burritos, leaving the stall owner watching their backs as they were getting smaller and smaller.

What is the future of these great heroes? Will they ever find a way home or will they forever be doomed to travel in the desert and in Mexico? And how long does it take for Excalibur to eat one of the burritos with his almost nonexistent mouth? Maybe we know, maybe we won't know...

* * *

Kid was grim. How could he let this happen? They needed every available death scythe and African wasn't answering, again. Damn him. And now two of his remaining death scythes were gone.

"_Kid?"_

Death the Kid turned to face the mirror in Death room. This was where he usually was in these times. Maybe it was because he missed his father and didn't want to leave the room or then he just felt safe and sound there. It WAS a symmetrical room after all... "What is it Black Star?" He asked the picture in the mirror. Weird for Spartoi to call now, after the young ninja had said that they wouldn't before they found Maka. "Could it be that you found Maka and Soul already?" Kid asked with a little joke in the sentence.

"_No. We found only Maka." _Black Star answered and winced a little when Kim was putting a bandage over his left eye. Kid was surprised to see how damaged the ninja was.

"Did you fight with her or something?"

"_I didn't cuz' I passed out and from what I heard, no one else did neither."_

"Well where's is she? Can you bring her in front of the mirror you're speaking through?"

"_Maka Albarn isn't one of us any longer!" _ Harvar shouted and pulled the hand mirror from Black Star's hand, _"She betrayed us by going away with the Kishin and some witch."_

Kid was quiet. His eyes were wide as he heard that."You mean Maka has changed sides?"

"_Well that's what it seemed to me and Soul wasn't with her. My guess is that they got separated at some point. I don't know if Maka's searching for him or just fooling around but right now she's our enemy." _Harvar said again. Ox didn't say anything to stop his partner from telling the young shinigami the facts.

"This is bad..." Kid said suddenly. Tsubaki blinked. _"of course it's bad! Maka-chan just became our enemy!"_

"No! Not that! Spirit and Tezca have gone missing and I fear for the worst...that Tezca's going to bring Spirit to where Maka is." Kid said while holding a hand over his mouth. This was very bad. Now Kid wasn't so sure that Spirit wouldn't change sides, but he just had to trust the red head. Black Star ended the call after thanking for information and saying that they were going to be there waiting for the two death scythes. If there was a witch, powerful enough to make the whole Spartoi helpless it couldn't be just any witch. The fact that Kishin Asura was traveling with Maka must mean that he found her at some point, or then she found him, either way it's strange that he hasn't taken Maka's soul yet. Now that there are disagreements within even Shibusen, and some of the adults didn't want Kid to be the one leading the school.

Kid scowled. "I just hope a war doesn't break out..."

* * *

Green.

Plants.

Warm.

Cold.

Ice...

How was it possible for so many contrasts to be in one place. The moment Maka stepped in her body was covered in sensations she had never felt before.

Asura had disappeared somewhere, but Mabaa said it was alright since he didn't have to worry about anything.

"You have to get used to it. Now follow me." Mabaa said. She had used some sort of magic to dry her clothes and did the same to Maka's. It was tiring to watch the same Spartoi uniform on her since she clearly wasn't part of Spartoi any longer...

"Do you have any new clothes for me?"

"Maybe. I don't know about the size." the witch answered. This was probably some sort of greenhouse. Well it looked like that.

"I've used my spatial magic to make every door to a different time, so be careful when opening them. The ones I've counted so far are warm, cold, sunny, night, and complete blackness which I suspect that Kishin went into."

"When did you create something like this? I haven't heard about it and it's not in any book at least what I've read." Maka said as she watched around her. Very pretty. Although she didn't see any door but only glass building they were standing and the plants, she guessed that they must be right behind the plants in random places. When she realized the witch was staring her, Maka started walking faster forward. It wasn't like they were in hurry or something but maybe, just maybe Mabaa didn't like waiting. Rare liked. Mabaa opened an old looking wooden door that stood out from the glass walls. Maka saw what was inside even before the other gestured her to come in. on the walls were drawings of kinda complicated magic circles and notes with such a messy handwriting that she couldn't read it. On the ground there was one he circle which was very complicated. It must have taken a lot of time to draw that.

"I thought you didn't use circles?" Maka asked and sat down onto a nearby chair.

"Sometimes they are necessary." Mabaa answered and went through the pile of papers and books that lay on the ground. "Now where is it...not here...here...hmm" Mabaa mumbled as papers flew up in the air. Maka smiled a little. It was weird but it felt pretty nice to be close to the grandwitch. Maka couldn't really place if she was like a mother figure (well to all the witches she probably was) or a research freak like Dr. Stein and Medusa. But one thing was still bothering her...yeah...

"um...Mabaa-san. Do you think Asura's sulking cuz' I hit him?" Maka asked and it didn't really seem like Maka got her attention but the witch still answered.

"Might be. He's a bastard who doesn't have feelings or anything but it may be his first time he has been slapped by a girl. New exotic experience for him in my opinion."

Maka laughed a little. She would get used to it. I mean the new people around her. Well if he gets bored he could always kill her but...as if Maka would let him do that.

"Found it!" was a sudden shout which made Maka come back to earth and almost fall of from the chair.

"What?"

"Now we can start the experience with your body and powers." Mabaa said and walked over to Maka with a little bottle of...liquid?

"What the heck is that?" Maka asked, staring the bottle witch suspicion.

"Black blood. Even though you have it in you, it's almost always dormant. This one here" she shook the bottle, "is active black blood with a bad nature. It'll let the insanity in you get a strong hold of your souls and eventually consume it."

"What's any good in that...?"

"As ironic as it sounds, black blood will awaken, in other words, insanity will awake your dormant weapon powers. If that works and you can use the blades AS YOU WISH, then we can take the next step. From there on you'll hate to let the madness consume you until you wish to clean your soul and stop using the completely scythe made from your blood."

Maka wasn't really sure if she understood but she had already agreed. "Alright! So I guess I have to drink it?"

"you're quick to catch on." Mabaa said and handed the bottle to Maka. Mabaa herself backed away a little and if she would become freak (which she highly suspected) then the witch would be able to handle her.

Asura, who was trying to sleep in the library he had found, suddenly felt a another madness wavelength come to the surface, and it was one he knew well.

"have they started already?" He asked himself as the eye like bugs that were close to him started wandering away. He didn't mind. It wasn't his problem if something went wrong and went back to sleep.

´th..this is incredible.´ Mabaa thought while shielding herself with her magic. Even though the madness was nowhere near Asura's level, it was still way above normal human's madness limit before the soul exploded. Maka was still in control but she was squeezing her head from both sides and gritting her teeth. Mabaa also saw how the eye bugs that were usually in form of Asura's madness started coming to her and climbing up as a black dress was forming.

* * *

**In Dream scape:**

"IT HURTS!" Maka screamed and held her head. She stumbled to the right and back and soon fell down to her knees. It was hard to breath. It was almost the same as that time when hallucination gave her black blood. But now it hurt more than ever.

"Asura! Take it away! TAKE IT AWAY!" she screamed in agony but the hallucination did not appear. The earth was shaking and the trees dying again, and the sky was becoming one with the ground.

Before Maka knew, sky fell down.

It came down with such a power that her hands were not holding her head any longer and and black blood came in from her mouth nose and tears if one would see them. It hurt.

"_hello again my dear." _

"Y..you!" Maka spoke but that hurt too. Maybe she should just give up. Let the pain end. Just like when fighting Chrona.

"_You almost killed me last time I met you and now you're here again...for what business may I ask?" _Maka's replica asked with an insanely wide smile and clouded eyes. She was her madness.

"You deserved it!" she shouted as the pain was gradually going away. Must be her doing...

"_You're awfully full of yourself." _The replica was suddenly in front of her and she put a hand on Maka's chest._"You're jealous from both of them. Can't I have the other?"_ Maka knew the other was referring to thee two Kishin's. She frowned.

"No you can't."

the replica was quiet. She let her black arms go behind the real one's neck ans the replica was floating in the black blood as Maka was being pulled down. How could someone move so freely in madness?

"_You need me..."_ she whispered.

"I want my weapon blood to pour out of my body to make a scythe for me to use. Can you take care of my bloodless body after that?" Maka asked. She wasn't frowning any longer. Because she needed this other.

"_...very reckless if you ask me...to get your blood out of your body..."_

"Can I trust you?"

"_ahaha, so now this little angel seems to need madness...I'm going to take a price for that...and your soul doesn't give in so easily...except for me..." _The replica said in a mocking tone and laughed.

Maka smiled in acceptance and trust that the other would do it. "I'll stay here then."

* * *

...

Suddenly the pulling stopped and black dress withered away.

"hahahahaa..." came a small laugh from her mouth as a twisted grin was plastered to Maka's face. Mabaa noticed the atmosphere changing around Maka and canceled the shield. The worst was _probably _over.

"Albarn...are you right now in cont-"

"NOW I CAN GO AND DO WHATEVER I WANT WITH THE KISHIN!" replica laughed and stormed out from the door.

Mabaa was on the ground trying to get the thing through her head that Asura was going to get something he didn't wish to! ´Now that's some crazy effect for madness taking over.´ Mabaa thought and ran after her.

_Maka _was currently opening every single door to check if the demon god was in, and Mabaa had to close every single door that the replica left open. The plants were a little in the way and Mabaa finally lost sight of the girl, she just had to pray that the Kishin wouldn't get angry and start destroying places.

"Asura-chan! Where are you!" the replica shouted with her -normal- features and then when opening the next door, or actually brutally knocking the door down, she saw what she was looking for.

"Asura-chan!" Maka shouted and ran to him over all the books that were on the ground. Incredibly, the demon god had not waken up by all the ruckus she had caused. ´So he's sleeping.´ the replica smiled and moved few locks of hair away from her face. Mabaa was searching for her and they didn't have any inference between them right now so she slowly sat on the sleeping god and started moving his head to right and then left. ´wonderful profile too.´

Asura's scarfs became a little suspicious about what she was going to do and went closer to see. The replica noticed this and kissed the one who was coming. Taking that it wasn't any threat it went back onto the pile of books.

She started lavishing kisses to his face and neck . When the man moved his head away and turned to his side as in movement, do not want, Maka smiled. She bent down again and started doing the same with his neck. Finally after the weird feeling woke him up, well he was still drowsy, Asura slowly turned to look over his shoulder with a little "hm?" sound coming from him.

"Morning darling." She greeted and Kissed him on the lips. At first Asura was not paying mind to it. Then when she _really _started to kiss him with enthusiasm, the god suddenly became aware of his situation and fell from the pile of books when trying squirm a little. After hitting his head with the bookshelf, he went to a sitting position and crossed his legs.

"Very nasty way to wake up...or was that a dream? Very nasty dream."

"Don't you even dare to think my love for you as a dream." the replica said making Asura have a little annoyed face when he realized whose voice it was.

"So what the fuck do you think waking me up like that?" He asked and turned to face, Maka. "So did it work?"

"What do you think?" She asked and twirled around while smiling. Asura was quiet for awhile, then he looked something between blank and bored.

"...you're the one who invaded my personal space in that hovel?"

"Bingo! And I'm here to take a price for letting her use madness." The replica said and walked over to Asura and threw herself at him.

"I've been sold?"

"Technically yes." She kissed his cheek while the other turned his head away. Then she started kissing his neck. "So shame I never mentioned what I was going to claim as the prize." Maka chuckled.

"I knew it." Asura pushed her away a little but this lady's hold was very tight, and she just didn't let go. She made their lips crash again, but Asura didn't mind it so much. She could kiss at least. He let her fall on top of him and continue doing it, before Mabaa burst in.

"HEY! This is my house! No raping allowed!" She shouted and ran to the duo. The replica frowned a little. She however did not separate herself from him, just whispered the good bye right above Asura's mouth.

"See you soon." She said and let her eyes close a bit. They opened soon revealing the normal green ones. The body went limp for a second, and that made the real Maka kiss him too,but it was just brush before she regained her senses. Mabaa sighed in relief as nothing serious happened.

Maka was quiet. Was Asura this close before? Then she noticed it. She was on top of him, holding him, kissing him and he...looked bored.

"I...I!" Maka was trying to speak and quickly raised her face up and eyed the room. Asura raised his upper body too but Maka was still sitting on his legs. "I-I'm..." She was blushing fiercely, and the shade of red was even darker than the Kishin's eyes.

So what might Maka Albarn do in this kind of a situation?

She faints.

* * *

**Five hours after that:**

Maka was still unconscious, so Asura had to carry her around with his scarves. Mabaa was talking to some other witch she had let in. At the mean time Asura played with Maka's pigtails.

"it seems like we have ran out of time." Mabaa said while holding a pile of papers in her left hand. Asura raised his gaze from the girl to the witch. He really didn't like to talk to her anyway so he stayed quiet. "It seems like death scythes have found this place. I think they're here for her." Mabaa stared the sleeping figure of Maka. "I think you should go now that you can. I'm not going to take any risks. If I tell you what you have to make her do to finish the experience, will you do it?"

"Seems like everyone's using her for something doesn't it." Asura tried to shoot the witch a mockery but it was repelled.

"That includes you." Mabaa said in a normal tone,"You're using her too aren't you?"

Asura smiled, "Of course not. What do you take me."

"Do not underestimate my information web. I know that you're planning to use her as a sacrifice to take Shinigami's fragments out of your soul aren't you?" Mabaa said. Asura didn't stop smiling.

"Maybe...maybe not."

"Well either way she's going to die so get out of here. Go as far as you can go because I've have a bad feeling about those thing inside of you."

The witch she was talking earlier on, was listening their conversation, but didn't pay a mind to it. As Mabaa started walking towards the exit, the demon god followed, still carrying Maka with his scarf. When Mabaa closed the door and the greenhouse disappeared, she started walking towards the witch village after giving Asura a piece of paper. She said it was her part of the deal and that he should give it to Maka. Asura walked straight to opposite way. The witch had also said that it would do better if they weren't in Europe. They should stay out of sight and not spread a huge world wide wavelength (mainly talking to Asura), but since his madness had decreased because of the fragments, that wasn't a problem.

* * *

Tezca was standing in front of a cafe. Spirit became hungry so he said that he would eat something. Tezca was well aware that Spartoi was probably waiting them here in Bordeaux, so they had to be very careful about where to go.

"Tezca, I'm done eating. Let's keep moving." Spirit said and South-America's death scythe started leading the way again. It was weird how Spirit's daughter kept moving. Like she was walking away from them.

"Spirit I think we should speed up a little." Tezca said but Spirit's next words stopped him.

"Who's that?" He asked and Tezca turned to look. There, standing in the little fog that the rain had created yesterday, was standing a witch. The look she was giving scared Spirit a little. Tezca knew who it was.

"What brings you here Witch queen?" he shouted the question. After that they noticed several other figures in the fog. They were moving and talking. Tezca realized that they had walked to a witch village. Mabaa stared the two death scythes. She had already told the other witches what they must do.

"I've heard that Death scythes are patrolling here. What for?"

"...such a fast ears you have." Tezca said in a serious tone and asked, "Could you let us pass. This guys daughter is accidentally traveling right behind you."

"What makes you think I would believe a death scythe?" Mabaa asked and Spirit had to dodge a ice spike by transforming his arm to a blade and destroying it.

The witches corrected their stares and answered the question just asked.

"It was a girl who had such a familiar face and clothes and she danced with her scythe bringing misfortune to us."

"Who?" Spirit asked getting impatient. He had to see his daughter.

"A woman wearing spartoi clothes and having a grin plastered on her face and pointing her thumb down, saying, you're going down."

"Maka!" Spirit shouted.

"she says, you won't get him." the witches said and each one of them called forth their magic powers. "So we won't let you get them."

* * *

It was already late night and Kid was sleeping on his bed. He was having a dream about symmetric world. He would have continued if he would not have gotten thirsty.

´Damn I need water...´ he got up from bed after coughing a little. The kitchen, oh the symmetry. Even the cups were symmetrically put into the cupboard. Kid took the completely white one that had a skull pattern on it. He poured some water into it and drank it but in the middle he felt something. A familiar feeling that his soul recognized. The moon was laughing and it could be seen from the window that didn't have any curtains. Kid put the Cup down and started walking towards Death room.

´What is this feeling?´ He asked himself as the pajamas he was wearing rustled a little. He arrived to the big door and turned the handle. The ever day was still the same and he started walking towards the center of the room.´Something's weird...´ Kid thought and sped up a little. After walking the three steps of the small stairs, he was surprised. There was nothing except he.

"What? I thought that I sensed something different?" He asked himself.

A loud breath was heard right behind him suddenly. Kid tensed and his carefree expression changed to a sheer horror. Had he allowed the enemy to slip past his guard? A hand was placed on his shoulder and Kid could feel the ominous presence right behind him. When a black cloak started going past Kid's being, he froze. ´could it be?´ He slowly turned around to meet the enemy, face to face.

He screamed when he his eyes met Shinigami's gleaming yellow ones behind the mask and the absolute anger coming from him.

* * *

…...oh I've written Maka as the seme...

…...oh the angst and drama...

…...oh the mystery of Mexico...

…...oh my respectful butt who's in pain because all the sitting and writing...

and I'm sick by the way...

Reviews are highly appreciated. I won't force you! I want you to know that I'm happy that you read sideways :D


	19. Pastries, kindness and coffee & Medusa?

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

Chapter.19. Pastries, kindness and coffee + Medusa?

_Walk under the moon and witches' brooms._

Apparently Soul was having some problems with Gopher as his meister.

"I don't really want to be handled by you. Your grip is different from Maka's." Soul said and started walking. The wounds from the battle ached a little even though they were patched up.

"Well in case you didn't notice it already, and even though we have been traveling together for at least a little over week maybe, I'm not her." Gopher frowned and picked up the pace he was walking in to get as far away from the whining albino boy as he could. They had gotten really far from the village they swam to and now they were probably climbing up some sort of mountain because they were walking up the hill. The only nuisance was the jungle.

Soul was pretty surprised about the weather too. When in Nevada it looked like it would rain in any moment, here it was sunny, and a little hot. Nevada and Hawaii weren't that far from each other if you looked in global measures. In fact why didn't they steal a boat, or ask someone to take them to the coast of California and from there they could have walked straight to Shibusen. Soul sighed. What if Maka was already at home?

"Hey. Let's keep going faster." Gopher said, being more than annoyed that the other continued being so slow.

"Hey why don't we use your Grigori wings to fly off?" Soul asked. He was being quite far from Gopher so he had to shout the question. Gopher blinked.

"Are you stupid? Maybe then when you go on to a diet. I can't carry two people."

Soul just grunted and continued walking. How the heck did they even do that, whatever it was, when fighting the kishin eggs few days ago? Gopher hadn't told him anything about what happened after Soul passed out but the albino didn't really expect him to do that. They were the worst possible meister-weapon team that has ever walked upon this earth.

"Where are we even going?" Soul asked.

"We're going to some place where we can transport ourselves as stowaways." He answered.

"Great. Then I can finally go to Death City and you can go after your precious Noah-sama." Soul said. But unfortunately Gopher's ears heard the part _precious _spelled with mockery and of course he had to start another fight.

"Hey. Are you insulting Noah-sama. I can guarantee that Noah-sama is ten times more good person than you're."

"You kidding me? I'm a cool scythe, not some freak who wants to collect everything. Of course I'm more good and useful person." Soul shot back at Gopher.

"How dare you!" Gopher protested. Oh and let the fight begin...

**Meanwhile somewhere in Russia:**

Snow was falling down. It was a little gray and the air was a little bad here in city but they would probably leave soon to the wilderness. As always. Asura really couldn't handle being near this many people and not kill them. Maka sighed and leaned against one of the many buildings in Nizhnevartovsk. The thought that she was _carried _here was really...unbelievable. If Asura really walked this fast (which she highly doubted) then they could have gone to anywhere else too. South would have been nice. She would have liked to see the sunflowers west-south. If she wanted cold then she could just go back death city...which wasn't happening.

"Hey. Are you done sulking?" Asura asked appearing randomly from behind.

"HOLY! Don't scare me like that!" Maka jumped at least three feet up in the air and held her chest in surprise. She was wearing a warm coat and red muffler on top of her spartoi clothes. Bought with the money she had gotten from Mabaa and she had some for food too. ´I guess I can survive with that at least two-three weeks.´ Maka thought when she had bought the coat and muffler.

"Here." He said and threw something to Maka. She caught it clumsily and eyed the object. It was a little box and piece of paper. "What is this?" She asked frowning.

"I have no idea." Asura answered and started eating the blue soul he was holding. Maka stared him with shadow in her eyes. It had a business card attached to it and Maka read it. On the other side there was some garden Ltd, and on the other side there was a small piece of text.

_Practice resonance with your own soul and madness. It should make it easier for you to draw out your blood when fighting in serious situations. Your partner has a new meister, although they cannot get along. He's in Hawaii._

Maka blinked. What? She read the text over and over again and started sweating a little.

"Maybe the coldness has finally gotten into my brain..." Maka mumbled and read the part, your partner has a new meister, over and over again. Had Soul forgotten about her and made some moves to other girls or boys and gotten himself a new partner?

Maka started snickering. Asura watched with blank look as Maka was holding the paper with deadly grip and laughing so that the other people that were passing by were taking distance. He had already read it anyway so the Kishin just stared, having nothing else to do.

**After about 10 minutes:**

Well now she had food, she had few spare clothes, and she had candy. Maka was ready to go.

"What the hell are you taking that enormous rucksack for?" Asura asked slightly annoyed. His attire drew stares. What kind of a man would be standing in the snow and freezing weather with nothing but scarves covering some parts of his body?

"Seriously dude. Aren't you cold?" Maka asked.

"Don't answer with question." Asura said bluntly and started eating the lollipop Maka had given him.

"Well what do people usually need rucksacks for mister Kishin?" Maka asked sarcastically and smiled making it so that a cute little rainbow was behind her. Asura didn't answer because he felt that his dignity would suffer if he did. Suddenly he got an idea while biting the strawberry flavored lollipop into half.

"Hey let's jump from here to farther away." He said. Maka was quiet. She didn't really understand what he meant by _jump, _and didn't exactly comprehend the whole sentence.

"What?"

"I used to do it. It's fun. But it draws a lot of attention." The Kishin answered with a grin. The scarves were already covering his head so that it wouldn't freeze. Well no one really knew did Kishins really freeze but there was always the possibility. Asura took Maka's hand and dragged her to some alley with not so many people.

"Here is good." He said, satisfied with his discovery. "Hold tight."

"eh?" Maka blinked but the next was already there. They were going up, and fast. It was freezing! After being quite high up the advancement stopped. She was floating well not exactly floating but.

"..." Maka couldn't say anything. Her lips were glued to each other and her wide eyes eyed the ground below them. The city seemed so small...

"Don't let go. It'll hurt if you fall." Asura said. So it was his doing that she hadn't already fallen. "It'll hurt a lot."

Maka took a firmer grip of the other's hand and stayed put. Only when Asura started taking steps, Maka was forced to move along.

She had flown in the air with Soul in his scythe form and her grigori wings, but never had she done it alone.

"Y..you are pretty amazing." Maka said while she didn't know if her cheeks were hot because it was cold or...she glanced the grinning Asura who seemed to be having fun. He couldn't really do this stuff when Shinigami-sama was always watching him. Maka felt her other hand being taken too. He turned her head to look there as her pigtails flew with the air.

It was the other Asura. His free hand lifted the muffler up a bit so that it could cover all of her throat.

"Thanks.." She mumbled.

"What was that?" The real Asura asked. He didn't apparently see the hallucination who smiled in acceptance.

"Nothing." Maka turned to face the real one. She was really surrounded by two nice creatures. "It's nothing..."

**With Spirit and Tezca:**

As expected of the grandwitch. She wasn't going down so easily. Tezca was already injured, having his right arm broken and left leg bleeding. He had taken some hits from icy spikes. Spirit was okay since he was a scythe and Shinigami-sama had forced him to learn to fight alone. Tezca being a mirror death scythe, was not useful in battle where he didn't have his meister.

"Shit!" Spirit cursed as he was thrown against a tree. The witches that were fighting with Mabaa didn't really ease the difficulty level.

"Give it up. Go home Death scythes." Mabaa said and used some of the spatial magic to make a cube to surround Spirit and Tezca. It was the same thing Free had used in the winter party where Asura was released from his imprisonment.

"YOU TOOK MY BABY GIRL AWAY DIDN'T YOU!" Spirit shouted. Tezca actually fell down and all the witches suddenly stopped attacking. Mabaa raised her eyebrow.

"baby girl?"

"Please don't mind he's a little-" Tezca tried but Spirit protested.

"YES! My lovely little baby girl! Give her back!" He cried and went into a sulking mode. Tezca couldn't really say anything. He was having his hands full trying to stop the bleeding wounds on his arm and leg.

"Are you sure we're talking about the same person?" One of the witches asked. Mabaa eyed the red head a little but didn't lower her hand.

"About 14 years old, has pigtails and ash blond hair?"

"Yes! That's my baby girl." Spirit mumbled.

"DON'T GIVE HER THAT KIND OF CONFUSING NICKNAMES!" All of the witches shouted. Mabaa gestured something and soon one of the many witches came to her. The two death scythes watched as they whispered something to each other and then the other witch stepped forward.

"_Dormio et prosequor."* _She said and after pointed the cube with her index finger. The air pressure began to built inside the cube and Spirit felt his eyelids getting heavier by every second.

"..." He mumbled and fell onto the ground, Tezca fell too and soon they were both sleeping. All of the witches ceased using magic and put a soul protect on again.

"Someone help me carry these two to Spartoi." Mabaa said and few fellow witches took Tezca and Mabaa started carrying Spirit to the inn Spartoi was staying at. The rain had already long stopped but it didn't make it any easier to walk. Thank god the air was chilly so the muddy ground wasn't so slippery.

**With Spartoi:**

Black star was eating porridge in his bed and Tsubaki was sitting right next to his bed, reading a book. She was wearing a regular green sweatshirt which was warm and Black sweatpants.

"Monsters and me." Black star spelled the name of the book while sipping down the milk from the big glass that was right next to the plate full of porridge. "Looks like a boring book to me." He raised and eyebrow and eyes the book. Tsubaki just smiled.

"It's not boring. It tells you about the monster in your mind." Tsubaki stated. "Do you want me to read it to you Black star?"

"Nah. I'm not interested in those kind of things. If it would be a guide how to be a god then it would be different." Black star gave her a big grin and resumed to his eating. Kilik and Harvar were playing some card game in the hallway and by the looks of it, they were tied. The doorbell rang and the owner of the inn, an old lady, came into view from behind the corner, probably from the kitchen. She mumbled something about the late night customers and how troublesome it was, and went to the door. A little shriek made Harvar and Kilik stop the card game.

"what's wrong?" Harvar asked and ran to the lady. He looked over the trembling lady's shoulder and wasn't surprised the slightest. There were Spirit and some other guy he didn't know lying in front of the door. He had been walking in the city again and accidentally spotted Spirit coming out from some restaurant and walk off with some weird dude with bear mask.

"Do you know these people?" the old woman asked and quickly squatted and took a look at their wounds.

"yeah. Can we get them in?"

"Of course! Come and help me." She said and started dragging Spirit inside when Harvar and Kilik got the weirdo with the mask. When they were inside Kilik went to call Kim to heal them. The owner prepared a room for the two to be in and they laid them onto two different beds. Kim started doing her immediately and didn't really ask any questions. Tsubaki and Black star weren't really affected by the event and continued what they were doing, Black star eating and Tsubaki reading. Harvar and Kilik continued their game after that and Jacqueline and Ox waited outside the room for Kim to finish.

After few hours Kim came out of the room and told the others about the situation.

"The wounds weren't lethal but I couldn't heal them completely. It's best if they won't move around for a while. And who the heck is that bear mask?" Kim asked. The rest of them just shrugged. None of them had really seen South-America's death scythe and some didn't even know there was a death scythe stationed there.

"It's a mysterious bear." Harvar said and sipped the juice he had stolen from the fridge.

"By the way aren't we leaving in two days? What about these guys? We made a deal with the captain to only bring nine of us. If we bring these then we're gonna have to pay." Ox asked and tried to ignore the snoring sounds coming from the two death scythes.

**With Mabaa and the witch who did the spell:**

"Do you really think this is alright Mabaa-sama." the dragonfly witch asked. "The spell I used is kinda strong. What if they realize the part of magic that is set in their souls?"

"Don't worry. Those two are extremely stupid. And how else would we be able to know what happens in Death City if you hadn't put that monitoring magic (prosequor) in those two?"

The younger one just shrugged.

**Sky walking duo:**

"It's cold. Shouldn't we get down?" Maka asked and watched as there were no more lights under them, marking that they were above a city, but only forest and snowy ground.

"Maybe. Do you want to sleep in a cave? Or should I find a cottage?" Asura asked.

"Cottage please. I'm tired of having backache." Maka answered and smiled. The hallucination wasn't with her anymore. He had probably thought that it was too cold for his own good and went back to dream scape.

Soon Asura spotted a little cottage in the middle of nowhere. Probably abandoned since it didn't have any lights coming out from its windows. Maka had absolutely no idea how to get down so she just followed what Asura did. Soon they were on the ground-, correction, Maka was on the ground.

"Don't drop me off like that!" Maka shouted angry as she fell straight into the deep snow. It was ice cold and it didn't help that when it was night, the air was very much colder than on the day time. Asura walked just above the snow, technically in the air, and arrived to the cottage, unlike Maka who was shivering in the snow and trying to make her way through it.

The furniture looked very old. But you could probably use it. All the house was covered with thin layer of dust. Surprisingly there were pans in different sizes and one big pot right on the stove. It had fireplace in it but by the looks of it, it wasn't useable any longer.

"What a place...and I'm gonna kill you." Maka said and walked in. Asura eyed the stove and was thinking that could it be fixed. He wasn't going to live here but she would and Maka was a little princess who needed some convenience. "yay! There's a real bed here!" Maka shouted in happiness and jumped onto the small bed in the corner but instead of giving healthy noises, the small bed said crack, and fell apart. Asura stared the bed while squatting in front of the stove.

"I...I'm not heavy..." Maka blushed and frowned knowing what the Kishin was thinking.

"You were heavy to carry back there." He was referring to the part where he carried Maka away from Noah's castle.

"I'M NOT HEAVY!" Maka protested. "I can fix this!" She said and started _fixing _the lump of wood.

"Whatever." Asura knocked the stove and it made threatening sound. When one iron part fell from the conduit of the stove that was probably connected to the chimney. Maka and Asura stared the fallen part. Maka made a face that, do I really have to live in this thing that's almost coming apart.

"Deal with it. You said you didn't want caves. And look at the bright side. It's not so cold in here and wind doesn't get in." Asura said and tried to put the fallen piece of iron back to where it came off.

"There's nothing to drink if I can't boil the snow into water without that stove, I die in less than a day or at least in two."

"You can always droll on the floor and lick it off. In that way you cannot die out of dehydration."

"That's disgusting."

* * *

After leaving Maka to deal with the rest of the mess, Asura walked in the snow, not above it but in it. It reached his thigh but it wasn't as hard to walk in it as Maka had given off. He would find some place to sleep at, because no way he would sleep with _that. _The Kishin's face went into disgusted one when he thought about the insane Maka. That damn woman would probably do something to him if sleeping in the same room. Big Spruces that had a deep layer of snow on their branches were bended down from the weight.

Having nothing else to do Asura jumped, high up into the air again and was soon way above the wilderness. He liked walking up here. He could spend some time alone after Maka was with him almost 24/7.

´So to sum it up, I still don't like company.´ He stated the fact for himself mentally. The scarves covering his head really did keep it warm, and he could see through them. The moon shone quite bright, making the snowy ground glimmer in whiteness.

"hm?" did he see something against the moon? The Kishin squinted to look more carefully although you couldn't tell because of the scarves. There was a person, probably a witch, sitting right in front of the moon on her broom and there was a black pot hanging from the curvy end of the stick. The curious Kishin walked closer and jumped more higher to reach the level where the woman was hovering. She was drinking from some cup, probably coffee or something similar since there was a little fume coming from the cup.

Medusa raised her gaze from the cup and turned her head to look the staring demon god.

"Why, hello again. Are you lost?" She asked and chuckled a bit. Asura made a sound of disgust and walked over to the broom and sat on the other edge.

"I don't get lost." He answered and moved his legs back and front. He was a little tired walking around.

"Want some?" Medusa asked and made one little gesture and another cup came flying from the little black bag that was hanging in the air. The cup immediately made its way under the pot and it was poured full of the warm drink. Medusa moved his index finger up and the cup rose from below to her hand.

Now there were two persons sitting in front of the moon and drinking, probably coffee.

"This is bad." Asura stated and stuck his tongue out.

"Yes. I didn't expect Shibusen to have something like this. It was so exotic I had to buy it."

"They let you in?"

"I sneaked in."

"Bad security..."

"Definitely. But it'll probably tighten." Medusa said and sipped coffee from the cup. "this is bad..."

Asura threw the cup away from himself and it fell to the ground. It WAS a little cold after all, and no means the Kishin couldn't feel the changes in temperatures.. The next thing Medusa offered him was a weird cupcake that had chameleon's eyes on it. Oh where were the beautiful and delicious souls when he really wanted them.

"I know you don't like real food. Here." Medusa said and went through the black bag when at the same time eating another cupcake. There was a small blue glow and she pulled it out from the bag. A human soul.

"You really have everything. Did you know I was going to come up here?" Asura asked and took the soul. He threw the cupcake to the ground as he did to the coffee too."Why are you even here?"

"This and that. I have my reasons. But my main entertainment is to stalk you two and probably tell you something interesting since I'm your good friend." Medusa said and had finished drinking. She put the cup back into the bag and was going through a book, almost as if searching something.

"I feel like my privacy is being defiled in many ways." Asura said speaking to the moon. The sun would come up about in five to six hours probably. Never knew when exactly was it going to pop up and laugh that it was time to wake up.

"Didn't Mabaa tell you that you should erase your wavelength from this world for a while? Like you being on vacation my little friend?" Medusa asked and was reading one of the pages and then turned it. It was written with many languages, old and new, and there were symbols and theories etc...

"When did I become your friend. Last time you tried to fuse me with your genderless child." Asura said bluntly.

Medusa, completely ignoring the complaining demon god, continued her rambling. "Yes, you should probably hide even more carefully now that Shinigami has came back from dead. And those things inside your soul, it would be wise to take them out as soon as possible. They could cause a nasty repulsion effect and in the worst situation it could bring your soul to a complete new level of being an idiot."

"I'm going to kill." Asura said while strangling Medusa with his scarf. The woman stayed completely unaffected. "How do you know he's alive. And how am I not surprised to hear that."

"I have spies everywhere. I know what's going on, well mostly, but there are also loopholes..." the witch said and tore a page out of the thick book. "Here. The instructions should be here. And hurry up. You shouldn't wander off from your little knight too much. She'll provide you a great protection if she learns how to control those weapon powers." Medusa said with nonchalance and stood up on her broom. She took the pot out of the curve at the end of the broom and poured the remaining coffee to the ground. It even smelled bad. Asura, after taking the page, jumped off from the broom and fell down into the deep snow. It was very deep in that spot because he was covered a little over his hip.

"Bye then."She said and flew off. The random little meeting with the strange witch was over.

´Now then...I should probably go there.` He thought and started making his way through the deep snow. The cloudy sky appeared and it started snowing more.

**Within the cottage:**

Maka was putting some logs into the stove, which was extremely dangerous but hey! She took full responsibility by hiding her spare clothes in the drawers of the little cottage. She had boiled some water after carefully cleaning it over and over again and then boiling it again.

"It's getting pretty warm." Maka stated nonchalantly and ate some of the snacks she had bought with her money Mabaa had given her. The sweets tasted great. Russia was a nice country if you could ignore the bad air in the city areas. When was it that Maka was last alone by herself in her _home. _And by home she meant this cottage and the apartment in Death City which she could not return. A little sigh escaped from her lips.

"I'm bored."

"_**Wanna play with me then?" **_asked a unfamiliar voice. Maka turned her head to meet a Kishin egg. It had almost the same looks as the first one she and Soul had killed when trying to make him a death scythe. The same creepy face, the same drooling mouth and claws...yuck.

"Go away." Maka answered and turned her head away. She saw how it was snowing again outside and wondered if the demon god had found a good place to sleep in.

"_**Here. It'll make you feel better. And play cards with me."**_ it handed Maka a weird bottle that had, **drink me,** written on it. Maka stared it.

"I'm going to shrink if I drink this don't I?" She said and opened the bottle. "But who cares! Life's full of adventures!" and drank it. Nothing happened. "huh?"

"_**Are you alright missy? Nothing wrong with your head?" **_It asked and started dealing the cards.

"Nah. Let's start." Maka said and soon there was a enthusiastic card game going on. Soon some more eggs came into the small cottage and the innocent game went into the form of strip poker.

"_**Three of a kind!"**_ One of the _monsters_ shouted. One of them served as the dramatic lamp above Maka and three other's heads to make it look like more realistic.

"**Four of a kind!"**

"Full House!" Maka shouted and hit the cards onto the table "Now strip!" She grinned to her opponents. All of them took something away from their bodies such as: claws, hair, body suits, weird looking things etc...(since they really don't have clothes.)

Another game started and soon it was like everyone had challenged her and Maka had only her skirt and spartoi vest on. And of course undergarments.

"_**Royal straight flush!" **_screamed one insane looking machine and the monster monk right next to her clutched his head. He took his cowl off. Maka cursed and started untying his vest's strings. Soon her upper part was only covered by the little bra kinda thing she had bought. Well it was mainly just a piece of cloth taken off from some curtains maybe. No she had not forgotten how Asura had seen her chest, and decided to cover it for now.

"_**Oh Yeah! Now we're talking!" **_Her opponent shouted and leaned closer only to be put back to its place by a strong punch.

"_**Take that off too."**_

"Shut it!" Maka shouted and let the vest fall onto the ground. As the Kishin eggs started gathering the cards and almost starting another round, Maka became curious about one thing.

"Say...Why don't you eat or kill me now?" She asked. The dealer stopped what it was doing and stared the girl. The other opponents too but the party on the background just continued as more tainted souls came in.

"_**Missy doesn't realize it but we do."**_ One of them sighed. It leaned back and sipped ion the boiled water and ate the human souls some brought in with them. Maka blinked.

"What?"

"_**You're covered in that guys scent. It's really all over you." **_The one on the right side commented, the one that had a fish like head and spikes coming out from its back.

"I smell like him? But Asura doesn't smell like anything." Maka answered and smelled her remaining clothes and hands. She should go and take a shower as soon as possible.

"_**We would probably get killed if we touched you. It's like a mark that, **This here is mine.**"**_ The one that talked first continued and dodged a flying human souls coming to its face. It ate it afterward.

"_**That's why probably no one among the kishin eggs ever alive will try to kill- or eat you."**_ The one on the left side, it had a yellow body and the face of a tiger and tail like a snake. It also had a big piercings everywhere. The dealer gave the cards to everyone and another round was being held. Maka didn't remember when she had had this much fun. When the last game was on Maka was the one who lost. But also at the same time, Asura stepped quietly in from the door, But no one really noticed his presence since he didn't give off the madness wavelength.

"Damn it!" Maka cursed and started taking her blue skirt off. The Kishin eggs just eyed the nonexistent curves but hey! They rarely had anything like a stripping girl in front of them so let's enjoy the moment. There was slight blush on her cheeks when taking the skirt off, but then one of the guests asked something very displeasing.

"_**Could it be that you like the Kishin?" **_

Maka immediately turned her head towards the speaker and so did Asura who was walking towards the fixed bed. Everyone in the cottage stopped moving and stared Maka whose face was going through a many different shades of red.

"I...I...may-maybe I might-but...no..maybe..n-no..." She mumbled to herself. Actually Maka's knees betrayed her and Asura was having a question in his head that why was she almost naked? Maka put her hands to both sides of her head and tried to think rationally.

"I...l-l-love...hi..m?" The thought seemed impossible, and the sudden take in was too much. "NO! Absolutely NO! But maybe yes...NO!"

Suddenly there was a _´poof´_ and Maka had turned into her little girl form, the one maybe four years old.

"_**What?" **_It shouted surprised. Then there was another _´poof´_ and mumbling something about liking and loving and hating. The next thing the audience saw was an adult sitting in front of them. Asura opened the opened the scarves around his head and stared in bewilderment. She had a black blood dress on and it gleamed with madness. After that there was another _´poof´_ and now a smoke screen. A little coughing was heard.

"_**What the hell happened!" **_the kishin eggs asked and tried to clear the smoke. Everyone stared the spot where the girl had been and then...

There was a blushing cockroach who was enthusiastically moving its feelers and going around in circles. All of them stared it in horror.

"_**The...THE GIRL BECAME A COCKROACH?" **_the dealer shouted.

"_**What did you do to her?" **_one from the crowd asked in panic.

"_**Nothing!"**_

"_**No! Was it that drink!"**_

"_**SO THIS IS YOUR FAULT?" **_another one said.

When the Kishin eggs where arguing Asura walked to the center and stared the bug. It looked like it was crying. Silence was in the room.

Asura gently lifted it up and walked over to the stove, the Kishin eggs making him way because all of them had quite well realized that it was demon god in real flesh or skin.

He dropped the Maka bug into the pan that had boiling water in it.

Silence.

Maka bug was probably shouting something and crying but it was in bug language and cockroaches don't speak. A little sweat started dripping off from the tainted souls.

_**´he dropped her into boiling water..´**_

_**´he dropped her...´**_

_**´into boiling water...´**_ they all thought in different times. Asura put some few more logs into the stove.

"_**HEY YOU!" **_all of them shouted while eyes almost flying out from their eye sockets and doing preparations for Shinigami-chop version kishin egg-chop.

"hm?" he turned his head to face his own kind mates.

"_**Don't ´hm´ me you jerk! She's going to die! The cutie's gonna die!" **_the one that was first in the cottage shouted.

"I'm just boiling out the strange thing you put into her." Asura said and saw how Maka's cockroach corpse was still struggling to not burn itself lethally,but the task was pretty much impossible.

"_**Stop that! Can't you hear-" **_but it was cut off when its body disappeared leaving only the soul hovering in the air. All of the monsters paled.

"I would prefer you to not tell me what to do ." Asura said in his normal voice but it scared the creep out of them. All of them ran towards the door of the cottage but no one made it outside. The cottage now had red lamps to provide light. Asura smiled and poured the boiling water to the snow and from the was another _´poof´_, and soon there was a naked Maka in the snow. Asura, having no interest in female bodies, covered the other with his scarves and lifted her inside. Carefully going through her spare clothes he put the same spartoi skirt on her that was on the floor. He also made her wear a sweater because it was never too warm for humans in winter. He also made her wear the undergarment for the lower part.

´There. Ready to go to a bed and sleep.´ he thought and dragged her into the bed. Asura himself, sat down and leaned against his knee and tried to sleep. It was probably another dream from the shinigami.

But instead of a Shinigami, it was a cockroach running around and Shinigami trying to catch it. Hilarious for once.

**With Medusa:**

She flew pretty fast to the southern parts of Russia, or even a little to the side of Kazakhstan. Either way there was sand. Medusa descended to the sandy ground and started walking until her feet met rocks and she knocked few of them. They moved aside and the witch walked in. She removed her black hood from her head and walked along the faintly lighted corridors that had walls that were decorated with strange patterns. Soon she arrived to the main room that contained strong and long towers but they were at different sizes each and everyone of them. She walked to the center, jumping from tower to tower and from pole to pole. You couldn't see the bottom of the room, just pure blackness.

´now then...´ she thought and put her broom to lean against one of the towers that rested on another one. ´the pieces are all together and now it's time to call to Chrona...´

a wicked smile spread from ear to ear and almost made her face split.

"I'll make the mistake in the past come to surface. Just you wait eight warlords and of course..." the smile widened if it was possible and the candles were shaken by the magic power Medusa put into the crystal ball in front of her. The events happening in Death Room were reflected from it.

"Shinigami."

* * *

*Dormio et prosequor = sleep and follow in Latin. And I hope no one knows how to speak Latin cuz I just looked that up from dictionary :D

Laputa~. Hauru and Sophie walking in the air~. And yeah. I think Asura can walk in the air since he can stand in the air, hover in the air and fly in the air.

And please forgive, I have no idea how to play poker. I just trust what my eyes see in DGM and many other Anime or Manga that has poker in it, OTL.

And no, the author doesn't read the kind of books Tsubaki reads. Author's mother does.

Thanks for the story alerts, author alerts, favorites and reviews!


	20. Immortal Coda

**Note: THIS CHAPTER IS LOOOONG! I wanted to fit immortal coda into one chapter but I hope it doesn't make it sound too abrupt. And one more thing:**

**(Sparta face)," This was a ! I'm never going to write anything as long as this again."**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

AND HERE IT IS! THE CHAPTER OF IMMORTAL CODA IS FINALLY HERE! And just to annoy the crap out of you guys, I decided to tell only after 20 chapters what has happened to Shinigami and why he was dead and all...Be noticed that these happen in the **PAST! **

And the beginning continues where the 18th chapter was left.

Now on with the story!

* * *

Chapter 20. Immortal Coda 

_The lament of a king, god and a father._

Kid didn't remember when he felt such a helplessness and terror before. Maybe never but this...no, his father right now was the one making him feel like that. He also didn't remember when he had screamed like this ever before. It was uncontrolled and sheer instinct that made him do so. He wasn't so sure that anyone woke up but hoped they didn't. The thing in front of small Shinigami was too much for human eyes to handle. Countless corpses were flooding out from his father and his body was a lot like the great old one's, the one he had met inside the book of Eibon. The happenings that happened about two years ago were being replayed in his mind...

**Two years ago:**

It was very peaceful. The spring was about to turn into a hot summer that everyone were waiting for and everything was going well. Well from Death the Kid's point of view, Maka had acted a little strange in a long period of time, sometimes disappearing and then coming home all bruised and bones broken, but she had always just said that she practices fighting so they let it go.

He was right now going to meet his father that had some difficult mission for him, especially for him. When arriving to death room's door there was a sign that said, _closed._

Ignoring the sign Kid opened the door and stepped in. he started walking forward the long road after closing the door. In these days, since almost all the enemies were hiding or defeated, like Arachne, Kid's father tried to think a way to find the hiding Kishin. The madness wavelength the demon god was spreading was becoming stronger and stronger everyday. It had started to become very serious when weak souls started exploding just from the wavelength. When finally seeing his father talking with doctor Stein, a bright smile lit up on Kid's face. Secretly he picked up his walking pace and was soon standing behind Stein.

"Good morning honorable father." He greeted as politely as ever. Stein turned around with few papers in his hands but the one who answered was Shinigami.

"Morning my cute little son." Shinigami answered with playful tune. "Wait a moment. This will be over soon."

Kid just bowed his head as in agreement and stepped aside. He patiently waited for the doctor and his father to finish whatever they were talking about. After few more minutes, Stein left death room and Kid walked over to his father again.

"I heard you had a mission for me." Kid said with monotone face once again.

"Hmm, Yes. I said something like that. I want you to go and get me another demon tool." Shinigami said in his usual cheery voice. Kid raised an eyebrow.

"Father, just few weeks ago I went and got you a demon tool. Why are in such a hurry?"

"This and that. I'm sure my cute little son can do it for me." Shinigami made a cheery happy face and patted Kid's head.

"Understood." Kid didn't even want to doubt his father in reality. Maybe a little suspicion rose up but he didn't mind it. Now it was important to go and get it done. After he had exited from death room, Kid immediately went over to his house and took a blue rucksack out from the closet. Liz and Patty were all ready to go and they had already packed their stuff. This mission wouldn't take long.

Shinigami was walking in death room. Was it just his imagination or had the madness wavelength somehow changed in these past few months? First he had felt it go aggressive so he guessed something had happened to Asura but few weeks later it had a very weird feeling added to it. It was like...Madness was evolving into something else.

´I would really like to know what's going...´ Shinigami sighed. Kid would probably get the job done very quickly and soon Shibusen would have another demon tool. Maybe then he would give his son a little break from all the work. Yes, he would do that. It wasn't healthy to work all the time.

"Shinigami-sama, I'm reporting in." Nyugus said and she was holding some weird kind of mirror. "This is the demon tool Death the Kid brought in few weeks ago." She said and showed it to the cloaked man.

"Good. Can you get Sid here? He should be able to fuse this with death room's mirror." Shinigami said and Mira bowed and then went to get Sid. Shinigami eyed the little mirror in his hands. He had faint memory of Eibon creating something similar to it wasn't useful to him so he threw it away. However, even if no one needed it then, this little mirror could make it so that if fused with the big mirror right behind the lord of death, the sight he could see wasn't limited to Death City but to the whole world. Anyone could call him anytime from anywhere there was a mirror. This act was later shown by Kid, who could be called from Stein that was in the middle Europe and Black Star calling Kid from France.

"Shinigami-sama you called." Sid said and walked up the small stairs.

"Hello! Getting straight to the point, can you fuse this with this?" He said holding the tool and pointing the big mirror. The zombie started working immediately. Shinigami had nothing to do in the meantime so he jut stood and watched the clouds go by and maybe some planes. You could see them from the little windows. When Sid was ready he told Shinigami-sama how it worked, although he must have already known.

"I'll be taking my leave now." the zombie said and started walking away. Shinigami was left alone again.

"Let's see what this is worth Eibon..." He muttered to himself and started using it immediately. Kid was flying to his destination with his skateboard with Liz and patty transformed into guns. Next was Black Star and Tsubaki failing in another mission to get a kishin egg. Looks like someone else ate it. That reminded him...What was Maka doing? Shinigami hadn't really seen her after their last mission report. Well she should be in Death City, so Shinigami went through the usual places. Well he found the hiding place of some Kishin eggs.

´Have to tell Black Star to get rid of them when he gets back.´ Shinigami said and continued to looks through places. Weird, she wasn't even in the park. Now wasn't this turning to stalking? He was just about to quit when something caught his eye at the borders of Death City.

"hm?" a small girl that looked awfully like Maka was being thrown into the air. Correction, bloody Maka. Since the place wasn't far away and Shinigami didn't have anything else to do, he decided to go and check who she was battling without her weapon. Spirit was walking into death room and the door opened and Shinigami walked out, surprising Spirit.

"Shinigami-sama! What are you doing outside?" He asked.

"I'm going to check the border lines of my soul. You can head in." the older man answered and opened the door so that Spirit was able to step in. The young death scythe raised an eyebrow but decided to leave it.

Shinigami didn't leave death room so often so everyone he greeted were a bit surprised see him walking on the streets. When arriving to a small alley he walked down. Maybe leaving everything for the students wasn't so good, so he decided to get rid of the kishin eggs himself.

"Now get back here!" Shinigami shouted and used his Shinigami-chops to get rid of each and everyone of them, but they just kept running around like fools.

"SHINIGAMI-CHOP!" the lord of death shouted in his normal voice (the manly one) and a small crater was created under the soul of the enemy. "Giving me trouble...these flies..." he sighed but then heard something.

"GET BACK HERE!" someone shouted and it sounded a lot like Maka. ´What in the world-´ Shinigami's thoughts were interrupted when he stepped out from the alley and the desert came into view. But he saw something else too. The shadows that the buildings made, made the path all shady and all the wooden boxes and barrels hid the black cloaked man very well.

What he saw shocked the death more than anything would have right now.

"I told you to not come after me." Asura said with a little annoyance in his voice. The scarves around his head were not open.

"Shut up! I come and go as I please! And stop eating it!" Maka shouted and tried to steal the little blue soul away from the hands of a demon god. Asura let a scarf take it and held it above Maka's head.

"Here. Take it. Take it if you can." He said in a mocking tone.

"Son of a bitch!" Maka said and kicked the other's leg. The Kishin didn't even flinch.

"Ouch. That hurt." He said in a monotone voice. Maka felt like she was being mocked. And Shinigami watched as the girl tried to take the soul by jumping up and down,while looking ridiculous. Asura twirled around making Maka go after him and twirl too. When Maka tried attacking him again by hitting him, the kishin caught the hand and twisted it so that a nasty sound and scream was heard.

"HURTS!" Maka screamed as Asura sat on her while still twisting her arm and eating the souls he had probably taken from death city. But how was it possible for Shinigami to not notice a demon god creeping inside his soul. More over, it looked like he was completely relaxed even while only being about 50 meters away from the border of death's soul.

"I'm bored already. Listen if you ever come after me again, it's not just gonna be few broken bones and ribs. It's going to be lethal." Asura said twisted the other hand too. He also kicked Maka on the side and started hovering. That's when the Shinigami-sama took calmly a iron pole from the ground. Maybe it was from one of the reconstruction sites and it was heavy for a normal person. Just when the demon god was going to take a limb or do something even more serious, Shinigami threw the pole straight at Asura who had the minimal time to dodge. He quickly turned his head just to get the pole go straight through his side. Maka blinked. What?

"you..?" The demon god tried to speak and pulled the iron pole out and let himself regenerate. He then swept the little trail of blood coming from the corner of his mouth. Shinigami glared his former student from the shadows and that's when Maka realized who injured her enemy.

"Shinigami-sama? What are you doing here?" Maka shouted in a slight fear that the principal was angry at her. Maybe now she couldn't go after Asura anymore whenever she sensed him any longer.

Completely ignoring Maka's question, Shinigami-sama asked from Asura, "What are_ you _doing here?"

The demon god grinned a bit, stood up and started walking towards the angry shinigami who was speaking in his original, low tone. He stopped right at the border and stared his teacher into the empty eyes he always held.

"I'm eating, if you didn't realize it." Asura said mockingly and ate another blue soul making his teacher looking even more furious than he already did. "How inconvenient that you can't come out and stop me now." He laughed and touched the surface of death's soul. The scarves around his head cracked open revealing the red eyes Shinigami would always loathe.

"Why don't you just grab me to that side?" Asura asked and pushed his hand gently through the soul of shinigami and touched his teacher's mask. They were just about, well almost the same height.

Maka tried to lift herself up and got only to a sitting position before she heard a loud slap. Curious she turned her head to see that Shinigami had slapped Asura's hand away.

"Don't mock me. You know fairly well that I can't beat you without death scythe. Trying would be the same as suicide."

Asura cackled. "Glad we have something we both agree on." The Kishin withdrew his hand from the lord death's soul and started walking towards Maka.

"And you. The warning stays. Remember that." He shot a dead glare at her and muttered the sentence so that only Maka could hear it.

"Shut up! I'm going to come! No matter what you say!" Maka shouted and scowled. The demon god gave her a glare and flew off. Shinigami stared as the young girl tried to get up, and he wasn't so sure should he help her somehow or not. Well being the principal of Shibusen gave him few responsibilities so the lord of death, searched for anything he could drag her back to death city. But first he needed to get rid of the expression on his face. His eyes were half open (jesus just take a look at soul eater chapter 71, page 5 panel three where shinigami says: you know you were partying just a moment ago.) and he looked awfully like, What was I just watching?

"Now where to find a rope...or a stick...or something...shouldn't this be a rubbish bin? Shouldn't there be those inside rubbish bin? What kind of an useless rubbish bin are you?" Shinigami asked from an innocent rubbish bin who only had bad food in it. It stank. After finding something similar to a rope, he threw it over to Maka who had her doubts should she take the help or not. She wasn't sure was Shinigami-sama angry or not but decided to take it anyway.

* * *

**Two days Later with Kid:**

He was shooting the enemy with Liz and Patty. Unlike the last time, this time the opponent was a witch. Not very skilled one but still.

"Liz! Patty! She's going to use a spell!" Kid shouted to her weapons who nodded. Kid jumped out o the way as a gigantic waterfall came out of nowhere. The skateboard spun in the air and Kid jumped on it.

"SOUL RESONANCE! All three shouted and soon Kid was in execution mode. The demon tool was hanging around the witch's neck so Kid had to be careful to not destroy it with the next attack. Although, he highly doubted that Eibon made anything that he or anyone else could break.

"Liz! Patty! Get ready to shoot."

"Okay!" Patty giggled and Liz nodded. The pistols began loading their and Kid's wavelength inside of them and Liz told the noise percent and soon Patty announced that they were ready to shoot. It was just the usual pattern anyway.

"Death canon." Kid said and s big stream of energy filled the area in front of them and there was an explosion.

"Did we get her?" Liz shouted in her weapon form and received a giggle from Patty.

"Hahahhaa. You brats. GETTING COCKY!" The witch screamed in her high pitch voice. The water changed into spears and they started flying at Kid. Covering his ears from the scream, Kid's reflexes weren't as sharp and he quickly jumped into the air and many spears crashed with the ground but some were high enough and hit Kid's arm and leg, making them bleed a little. Kid gasped. He felt how the sanzu lines in his head throbbed painfully and they wanted to unite and take care of the enemy fast but Kid didn't allow them to. He had heard that his father's condition became worse every time sanzu lines united. Just like in Baba Yaga's castle operation.

"That damn witch...underestimating me..." He had a pride for fighting stuff so taking blows from someone this low was not forgiven. "Liz! Your soul resonance is wearing off. Try to stable it!" Kid shouted and started loading the guns with his wavelength again.

"I'll end this!" the witch shouted and started loading the demon tool with spells. Kid took a notice in the strange behavior of the enemy's soul and shoot the canons before she had time to react.

…..

"So now we should head back. This wasn't much of a mission." Kid said and took the demon tool while Liz stole the soul and tried to not let Kid see which one took it. If he would've, there would've been an eternal speech of how they should split the soul in the name of symmetry.

"This was over very quick." Liz said in a surprised tone. Usually it took a little more time since Kid would've again started complaining about how the enemy was or wasn't symmetrical.

"Liz Patty. Let's head back." Kid announced and patty just giggled and started following him, but so did Liz.

* * *

**In Death City five days later:**

Shinigami was standing in front of the modified death mirror and looking at Maka with the face -what the heck should I do with you-. He already explained very clearly that it wasn't good for for Maka to go after Asura. But did the girl listen? No. Of course he should have expected that and what the hell was the bloody Kishin up to when he visited death city so regularly. Another question was, where the heck was Spirit when Shinigami needed him. He could have gotten rid of the annoying death god, ages ago if only, and ONLY if Spirit wasn't a regular customer to all cabaret clubs in death city. Maka was staring the bug that crawled on the ground, trying to avoid the empty eyes of the lord death in front of her.

"Umm...Maka-chan. I don't know what's so hard to get such a simple thing as: Don't go near him. He's dangerous. Very dangerous..." Shinigami-sama said with a little awkward voice.

"He's not dangerous! He's just a stupid son of a bitch..." Maka shouted at first, as if trying to convince the other with poor results and then muttered the other half of the sentence.

"But you know...That stupid son of a bitch happens to be the most dangerous man that's walking on this bloody planet, meaning he's the only one capable of causing real havoc that I doubt I can fix."

"It's alright. Shinigami-sama is like a superman. You can fix anything in a matter of seconds. Just like you fixed Kid's broken arm with that fairy magic of yours." Maka answered.

"I don't know what Spirit has told you about me or what kind of an impressions you have gotten but don't believe him. I can't produce the same dust tinkle bell can." Shinigami-sama said it bluntly and in his original voice. What was wrong with her? Maka was smart! Or at least he was under the impression she was.

"The Kishin's dangerous but shouldn't someone kick his butt for eating the innocent souls? Shinigami-sama is already old. I respect you but you got a hole in your face and got defeated last time you fought him at the winter party. Or at least Soul told me so..." Maka withdrew into her head thinking.

"I swear I'm going to skin that brat alive. Now the last person who thought I was a superman has lost her faith in me. And I'm not old! Just a few couple of centuries...Anyway don't go near him. Stay away from the entity called Kishin Asura. You already got broken arms and ribs." Shinigami said pointing them with his cartoonish like hand. Maka's mood dropped a little and she seemed to look a little sad. Clearly she didn't mind having them. They were physical damage and that was all, but if she seriously would get broken bones every time Asura stumbled across her then it was better to keep her away from him. Also one thing bugged Shinigami more than anything.

"Maka-chan." Maka stopped walking away from the cloaked man even though she was already at the start of the guillotine line. She turned her head. "Why didn't you take Soul with you?"

AT first Maka didn't answer. She just stared Shinigami like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"because it's obvious that I can't" Maka said.

"Why so?"

"It just doesn't feel right to have Soul in his presence." Maka laughed a little but looked a little ashamed to say it. Shinigami was just quiet and let the girl exit death room. Maka walked in the corridors of Shibusen when she stumbled across Kid. She just said that she was sorry and Kid answered that he didn't mind and they continued walking. But taking a quick glance, Maka saw that kid was carrying a weird looking thing that had EIBON written on it.

´Must be another demon tool then.` She thought and continued walking. Soul was already waiting at the entrance. He was holding Maka's rucksack since both of her arms were broken (she still insisted that she wanted to go to school).

Kid was standing in front of his father and he held the demon tool up close.

"Good work. Can I reward with a fatherly pat on the head?" Shinigami asked and took the tool. It was something between a music box and a miniature car.

"No father. My hair would cease to be symmetrical if you did that." Kid answered but still receives the patting. Not that his hair was symmetrical to begin with.

"Do you want to be here when I activate this?" lord Death asked from his son. Kid looked surprised but didn't decline the offer. Usually his father didn't let him see how the tools were activated. Well Kid himself knew how to activate BREW because it was a device that measured power and activated Kid's sanzu lines. Shinigami started mumbling something and started rotating the little arm that was attached to the side of it. A music started spreading into the room and Shinigami let the tool touch the ground. The wheels started working and the tool started going around in circles.

"Father..I must ask what is this made for?" Kid asked while staring the innocent looking tool on the ground while still listening the music.

"I don't know son. When Eibon activated this long time ago, the effect was quite different." Shinigami stated and accidentally looked behind Kid's back when raising his head.

"It's because you activated it in the wrong way. Thank god I added a lock for idiots to it." Eibon sighed and made Kid jump two meters up in the air.

"IT'S A GHOST! IT'S A SYMMETRICAL GHOST!" Kid screamed and fell to his back and crawled away from the warlord. Eibon's colorful robes were being trailed behind him and the clawed and invented looking hand rose to take the demon tool up and turn it off. He squatted and pushed few buttons here and there and twisted the arm of the music box part and the song stopped.

"Where did you come from?" Shinigami asked, him being a little surprised too. "I thought you didn't want to show yourself any longer?"

"The key you activated yesterday woke me up from my almost eternal slumber. And this is made from a music box my wife gave me. I would appreciate if you didn't use it, or play the tune." Eibon said and pushed the final button and opened the music box and what Kid saw, being not so tall, was a very complicated technology. He hadn't seen such a complicated thing even in the modern inventions. Screws, piped, smoke, gears, different colored wires etc.

"I had been searching for this tool since I wanted to take it apart and keep the box, but your son was faster. He actually took it right under my nose..." Eibon commented and started taking the gears out carefully. One of his claws had transformed into a screwdriver.

"I think I would have remembered if I had met you. And you scared me!" Kid said while holding his chest. He looked like he had seen something awful just now.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Eibon raised his mask and accidentally some oil spilled to the ground and few wires came out loose.

"I mean, you're colorful and all, kinda personal with your fashion and really hard to forget type." Kid answered again while Shinigami went over to the floor, taking no part in the conversation and started cleaning up the oil. Kid was almost going to start a argument but suddenly remembered that arguments were for little kids. Eibon, himself was too mature to even start but a little controversy would be welcomed since he didn't really see people or speak with them being a kind of a vagabond. Being finally ready with the taking apart process, Eibon had successfully taken the car and the music box away from each other.

"I should probably thank you." the researcher said with a monotone voice as always.

"No need. You can go back to sleep or whatever you were doing." Shinigami said and got rid of the not needed stuff lying on the ground.

Eibon was quiet. "Then let me tell you the way to get your soul out from this piece of earth. I'm sure you're interested."

…..

* * *

**Three months later:**

Maka didn't know why she was doing this. Her hands were already healed and it had been three months. Just in that short time, Shinigami-sama had said that he suddenly needed the Kishin ALIVE. And because being a nice petite little girl didn't help the thing, Shinigami-sama had also said that she should go with the weirdest looking thing she had ever seen.

"So...Do you want to get this over fast or slow?" Maka asked with a little awkward features. Eibon didn't answer. He was really just standing there and...well doing nothing in particular. Maka felt the atmosphere go even more heavier than it already was. She started walking to the direction she felt the Kishin was.

"Tell me girl...How do you know where he is?" Eibon asked and followed Maka but it gave Maka goosebumps. So it _could_ talk.

"I..I don't really know. It's just pretty clear where he is..It's a feeling, well I'm not really sure what kind but I pretty much know that just five hundred meters from here then you have to turn to right and there'll be an alley and...well it's complicated."

They didn't talk after that. The walking pace was normal except Maka started running at some parts but Eibon didn't seem to have difficulty in following her. Well every time Maka _tried _to make the other lose the sight of her, she just almost ran to him in the next corner as if nothing happened.

´This guy is creepy!´ Maka shouted to herself mentally as Eibon remained silent. Suddenly Maka sensed that the Kishin was starting to walk away from the place he had been sitting just a while ago, and was getting closer to the borders of Shinigami's soul. Guessing that the bastard was leaving soon, Maka started running towards the sensation, turning from the shady alleys to other and jumping around, while even climbing up the walls and jumping down. The sunset was on the sky as the clouds were painted in yellow and orange. The sun laughed and watched the play of cat and mouse that was played in death city.

The older man walked suspiciously down the alley and chewed a soul. Asura had just had enough food to not starve. He wouldn't have to come here for at least a week now. If he needed, he could go and steal few from the little cities and villages near this place.

The alleyway was just opening and desert was showing from the narrow alley.

´finally. This place is too big for its own good...´

"STOP WALKING!" Maka shouted and glomped the Kishin from behind with such a force that it made them fly to the nearest wall while Asura hitting his head to it and from that to the big black rubbish bags. All the souls that were in the Kishin's had collected were scattered on the ground and shone bright blue. Asura recovered from the surprise and patted his head. Maka quickly placed both of her hands on the shoulders of the older man and was on the position ´I'm topping you now´.

"What in the world are you doing?" The Kishin asked being slightly aggravated by the sudden attack.

"You can't leave!" Maka shouted.

"says who?"

"Shinigami-sama!"

As the two started quarreling Eibon came into view from behind a corner. At first the two didn't take a notice from his arrival and Eibon didn't even want to make it clear to them. He wanted to get this out of his program as soon as possible because he wanted to go back to his slumber.

"Asura. Stop acting like a child." He stated and stared the man wrapped in scarves. At first the Kishin just turned his head to see better and was very surprised to find his ex-comrade here. The quarrel had stopped and Maka was just fiercely staring him.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere far away?" He asked out of ignorance but Eibon does not intend to answer.

"I need you to come with me." He says and stares the red eyes of the Kishin that are very reluctant to obey the request but at the same time they might trust Eibon because Asura knows that he has no ill intentions.

"Why do I need to come?"

"Because I need you to do something for Shinigami." Eibon answers and his voice is as bored as always. Asura scowls.

"Not a chance. I'm not doing anything for the one who just waits for the next moment to rip my skin off or kill me again."

"I'm asking for just a slight cooperation." Eibon said again. The words didn't make Asura angry nor did they make him confused. They were just empty, just like the other sentences Eibon always spoke.

"For what? What should I help you with? Why do _you _need a Kishin for?" He asked and started gathering the blue souls from the ground with his long scarves and Maka tried her best to gather them before the scarves did. She didn't take part in the conversation.

"I need your wavelength so that I can free Shinigami's soul from this city." Eibon answered. The desert wind blew between them and Asura stared Eibon with blank stare that was clearly a dumbfounded one. Maka was having a similar one.

"What?"

* * *

…...

Asura hadn't agreed. Shinigami was leaning against his big hand and sighed in death room. Eibon was just sitting on some chair and reading a magazine while drinking something. After all he had all the time in the world to relax and be lay now that his soul was attached to the demon tool, the key, he really couldn't die.

"For once I ask him to help me and I even offered him freedom for few weeks, he turns me down." Shinigami complained.

"Having freedom for two weeks is not going to help him at all father." Kid said and continued, "He knows you'll go and kill him once the "few" weeks are over."

"Should I make it a month?" Shinigami asked and turned towards his son. Kid sighed.

"I don't think he'll agree." Kid answered. He had his own problems as well. Every time he went in or a battle, the lines in his head just kept throbbing more painfully. He had no guarantee that the next time the pain started, he would be able to control the lines of sanzu. When he told about it to his father, the cloaked man stayed quiet and patted his head saying that wasn't it great that Kid was becoming stronger, but Kid could sense melancholy in his voice and acts.

"It can't be helped then." Shinigami stood up and started walking out.

"Father where are you going?" Kid asked with concern.

"I'll go and talk to him." Shinigami-sama said and exited. Eibon followed his old friend and teacher from the corner of his eyes behind the big mask on his face. After a while he stood up too. Kid didn't even bother asking where the other was going since he already knew. Why couldn't he be more helpful to his father?

* * *

…..

Asura was once again trying to eat. This time it was night and unlike on broad daylight, Kishin eggs came to streets and killed prostitutes and men coming home from work. Whenever Shinigami spotted one of those cases, he stood by and didn't do a thing. Only after the human was killed, he killed the egg and took the human soul The people in death city had become used to the regular visits of Shinigami in the city streets even when it was day time.

But really...Maybe he should have asked Maka to come with him. Sensing Asura when his wavelength was all over the place was pretty close to impossible.

Eibon was masking his presence with the madness wavelength so that Shinigami could not sense him. Eibon thought in his mind that Shinigami had finally realized that he did not have long to live.

"_My son's sanzu lines are uniting. Almost." Shinigami said while staring off to space. "You know what that means don't you?" he turned to face the robed man._

"_How are you going to spend your remaining life if you get free?" Eibon asked, standing right behind Shinigami._

"_...I don't know. Maybe I go to some place that's green. Not desert but full of life. Nature." He answered and remembered the green fields and trees of the world he had come to known very well._

"_Eibon, I'm already old. Very old. But when my souls ceases to protect this city, would you do me a favor?" He turned his head to look the clouds on the sky. They were standing on the terrain of Shibusen and watching the city, the people, feeling the wind but heard nothing._

"_What is it?" Eibon asked._

"_You see..."_

Eibon was following Shinigami from a good distance and for once he had not been seen. Well he scared away the people just by walking around because wearing such a mask and clothes as he did and being as tall...Sometimes he wondered if it was accidence that all the warlords were very tall. Like towers. Maybe Shinigami had been symbolic when choosing the warriors. The pillars that supported the world...

The thought made him want to laugh.

* * *

….

"Asura! Hello! Come out~!" Shinigami called witch his usual voice. He knew the Kishin detested him for using such a childish mask and voice and it just made Shinigami want to use them more. When there was no answer the lord of death sighed and started using his normal voice. The mean and cold one."Just pop out from there you idiot.."

"What?" a head popped out from the shadows of death city and Shinigami saw how the white feet where stained red. It seemed like there would be pools of blood just right up this path. The scarves around the head opened revealing the red eyes once again.

"I need you know. Help me for just a moment and I won't kill you." Shinigami said and stayed put. Asura scratched the back of of his head while making a relaxed pose.

"First you send Eibon and that annoying girl after me to ask it and now you come." He almost laughed but the next move was visible to Shinigami's eyes but he didn't do anything to stop it. Asura had suddenly appeared right in front of him and was holding Vajra's tip on Shinigami's throat. "Why do you want to be free _now_?" the Kishin glared his teacher as if not being really if shooting the red blast from Vajra was the best choice.

"Asura. You must feel it too. I'm dying. If you want to fight with me I'll fight with you after I'm free."

"What are you-"

"I know you want to test which one of us is the stronger side. That must be why you keep coming to death city almost everyday. Wanting me to find you and start battling..." Shinigami's mask turned a little and a little yellow gleam was coming from the eye holes. It made Asura's blood boil with the urge but he resisted.

Asura smirked and took Vajra's tip off from Shinigami's throat and ate his weapon again. "You think that alone can get _me _to_ you."_

Eibon watched from the rooftop as they talked about something. ´they're going to start battling...´ but what Shinigami did next made Eibon's features under the mask grow shocked.

There was a blue soul hanging on the white palm of the lord of death.

"What might be going on in that small head of yours?" Asura asked and raised an ´eyebrow.´

"I'll give you souls if you help me. How about it. This deal will benefit both of us." Shinigami said.

"So you sink as low as that. Hah! I can get more souls by not agreeing and killing people." Asura answered and laughed.

"No. If you don't agree, I'll personally hunt you down right now and make it so that you can never fight or defend yourself again." Shinigami answered with icy tone which made even Eibon a little uneasy. That was no empty threat. But it was incredible shame for Asura to accept something like this for tho sole purpose to feed and protect himself.

The man wrapped in scarves did not answer but glared Shinigami. Refusing and causing Shinigami more pain in the ass was a tempting thought but Asura hated dying. Feared dying.

"I'll be expecting you to come after Eibon has finished preparations." Shinigami-sama said in his usual cheery tone again, but Asura didn't answer.

Disgusting.

* * *

**After 1 month...**

Kid's headaches were becoming worse. They hindered his sleep and when he didn't realize, one of the sanzu lines had connected and Spirit had to give emergency call because Shinigami-sama started feeling how his soul started protesting.

Eibon was long ready with the preparations. He had placed the seals Shinigami had used to seal Asura to the roots of Shinigami's soul and modified the soul so that it could take madness wavelength, but there was also a black side. Shinigami's soul was old and it had been rooted to the ground for 800 years. Eibon was worried that if the fragile soul would be able to take such an absurd act as to remove it from the ground again.

"It's not guaranteed that your soul will not break during the process." Eibon said while he was trying to install the demon tools to each corner of death's soul.

"Nah. I don't think it will. But if it does, hold a funeral for me." Shinigami said while pointing his thumbs up. He was trying to hold all the demon tools that were left and was walking behind Eibon.

"Now to the north side." the robed man stated and got up from the squatting position. Shinigami had been awfully cheerful for the past few months after finding that he could get himself free. Actually he was already mumbling about how beautiful life was and butterflies were colorful etc...

They would do it tonight.

And Asura had always hated quick plans that he wasn't even informed of. He hadn't been eating for a week. He was sitting on one of the many benches in death city. Surprisingly Maka spotted him when walking on the streets and decided to greet the older man since Shinigami-sama had said that if there was a weird looking Kishin walking on the streets, no one should pay mind to it.

"yo. What are you doing." Maka asked and walked behind him. Asura snorted.

"Nothing." He said in a bored tone. He had gotten few red souls and few blue souls already but that fact that just made things worse. He had actually thrown the souls to the pre-kishins who had eaten them immediately. Maka sighed. She went through the paper bag she was carrying and took a bar of chocolate out from it.

"Here." Maka handed it to the older man who scowled in return. "I heard you're going to free Shinigami-sama from death city. Aren't you being nice." She said with a little mockery placed under her tongue. The feral pigeons picked the bread from the ground and it was full of the needy birds.

"He's just going to come after me right after I'm ready." Asura snickered in irony. He opened took a bite from the chocolate after tearing down the paper covering it. It didn't taste as bad as human food usually did. Maka laughed.

"Good luck to you then." He patted Asura's head and received another one of his famous glares. The kishin stood up and started walking away to the crowd. He really disliked her.

(if someone is confused at this, the tree: "..." below mean that they're already doing the process to remove the soul from the ground.)

* * *

.

.

.

Screams and cries were heard and the sky was painted red. No longer did sun shine nor did the moon laugh. It was just pure red clouds and the sudden lighting that destroyed the ground between the borders of death city and the mountains guarding the said city. People were bleeding and dying, unable to handle the feeling that Lord death's soul produced. Kid was trying to calm the sanzu

"Dam..DAMMIT!" He shouted as his father didn't react at all. He just stood motionless and unmoving in the same place and Kid didn't even know if his father had already died.

"Quickly! Evacuate everyone!" Sid shouted as the panic was starting spread and buildings were on fire. The zombie really didn't know what was going on but he wished that it didn't have anything to do with Lord death's soul. Eibon had said that the city would be left unaffected. Had the warlord been lying? No. He wasn't the type to lie .

Black Star and Tsubaki tried to fend off all the pre-Kishins that stormed into death city, probably being affected by the madness wavelength.

"What's wrong with these guys! They just keep coming one after another!" Black Star shouted as he used Tsubaki in her shuriken mode to cut through many enemies.

"SOUL RESONANCE!" They both shouted when Black Star caught her again. A dark blade was now in the hands of the assassin. A small explosion came from the other side of the city.

"Where's Maka!" Spirit shouted, panicking slightly. He helped to guide all the children out from the crumbling buildings as Stein tried to use his soul wavelength turned to stitches, to try and keep the buildings stable. Most of the people were already outside death's soul and watched in horror as once peaceful city was changing to a wreckage. Kim was acting as a nurse and tried to treat everyone that had injuries, Jacqueline was helping her. Harvar was standing next to Ox and he stared in disbelief too.

Maka was running towards the sealing room of Asura. If the bastard wasn't going to come out and save himself then she would go and save him!

"Why the hell does it have to be underground!" Maka shouted as she sprinted down the rocky stairs as the ceiling started crumbling threateningly. It was same damn passage that she had ran when at winter party, trying to stop Medusa from reviving the Kishin. Soul had actually been quite stubborn to not let her go and almost dragged her out from the crumbling city but Maka had wrestled herself free. She didn't hear the shouts of her weapon that pleaded for her to stop and not to make something as suicidal as this.

Suddenly Everyone in death city froze as a howl went through the building, it broke the sky and it resonated from the mountains making the clouds go away, making the thunder stop but shaking the ground from the sheer power it had and everyone knew what had happened.

The process had failed.

It seemed like the whole earth was shaken and the pre-Kishins trembled in fear. Kid was unconscious on the ground, having all three sanzu lines united, Shinigami's soul cried in pain. Now that there was another one of his kind, another who could control-, who had the prove of sanzu the older Shinigami was no longer needed. It was a process that repeated time after time. It had happened always.

Shinigami-sama was clutching his head from both sides and his mask was long discarded on the ground. Long black hair fell to the ground but it went up to the air just like smoke when it touched the surface. Yellow eyes leered the Kishin that was sitting just in the same place the bag of skin had been.

"Yo..You did something!" he shouted, being already past very aggravated. "ANSWER ME! ASURA!" he demanded an answer. Never had Lord death's soul been touched by madness like this. He had never allowed madness to even crawl into his soul so why...Why was it that this low demon god here was standing even on a higher level than he! He, a shinigami should not be passed! No one should be able to step so close to his level and yet...

"you..I WON'T FORGIVE! I WON'T FORGIVE IF YOU KILL ME NOW!" he shouted and walked, slow and unstable steps towards the Kishin. His black cloak was leaving a trail of blood and black ink behind and from the corners of Shinigami's mouth, there was a fine trail of blood. He coughed it up and soon the floor was stained even more. He touched the shoulders of his ex-student with bone hands ans squeezed.

"Answer me! Now!" Shinigami shouted. Asura stirred and opened his eyes.

"Wha? Why are you not wearing your mask?" the kishin asked, clearly being surprised.

"You..You did this to me didn't you?" Shinigami's voice was raspy and more blood came from his mouth. Just now Asura realized the situation they were in.

Shinigami's eyes were wide from surprise as the light enveloped all things around them and him.

* * *

.

.

.

Black.

The black cloak danced around and the smell of rotting corpses was reaching his nose. The sound of water running in a river was also heard.

"_**nn-no. 'l ne-ver be..."** _the voice repeated. It was raspy and it felt like two persons were speaking at the same time. Shinigami opened his eyes. The pain was gone.

"_**Ki-ds..Kid.." **_

What was it trying to say? He found himself hovering above nothingness. No..There was a river below him...Sanzu? Was this the river of Sanzu?

He heard cries and mumbling and there... not prepared there death was standing. Was he watching himself stand on desert? Shinigami's eyes opened wide when he looked his transparent body. What was going on.

"_**Why?..Why did you kill my son..?"** _Shinigami asked behind the river.

What? Now Death was beginning to panic a little. He saw how Death the Kid, his own son was on the ground, bleeding heavily, and the other him says that Kid's dead. Well who killed Ki-

"_**Enemies need to be killed. He was the enemy." **_Asura answered and stared the corpse. Death on the other side of the river shouted and attacked the Kishin.

Shinigami was just about to say something when the landscape changed. He needed to shield his eyes from the stupid bright light. When opening them again he saw something again.

Maka was on the ground, all bloody too, her hand was twisted to the wrong way and red pool of blood was under her. Shinigami saw how Asura was standing behind her, staring her rising and lowering chest.

"_**Why do you always have to be so stupid?"**_ He asked and eyed the damages. The river showed how black blood started coming out from her body, forming the dress shinigami did not know.

Another flash.

How the happenings were replayed and played again and again. The black blood around Maka started changing her shape and the Kishin slightly raised his right arm and the black blood started gathering to it. First there was the black rod in his hands.

The black color started wearing off from the Kishin's hair as the blade, more black than anything death had ever seen, dripping from black blood, formed right in front of the kishin.

Another flash.

"_**This weapon is only meant for madness to use. The evolution took its price." **_Mabaa said while her figure changed slowly to an angry crowd. Students? Humans?

"_**This is war!" **_

And that was the end of it.

.

.

.

The crumbling buildings were still holding on. Maka was clinging to Asura like he was her lifeline. Shinigami stared thee young girl who seemed to be holding so much in her eyes that...it made him want to rip her limbs off. Mixture of fear, courage, stupidity and...worry?

Had he just seen the future? What had happened? The black cloak was now wearing off, showing bone beyond the cloak. A little electricity that held skulls in it started coming off him Shinigami.

"Stand aside Maka. I'll personally finish him off before I die.." He coughed up some more blood but Maka didn't even flinch. She bit her lip and held even more tighter. The Kishin she was trying to hold close was still unconscious. Maka didn't even dare to speak because if she did, she would get killed.

"STAND ASIDE!" Death hollered making the girl shake with fear and she tried to drag the man just a little bit back with him but Asura didn't even flinch. When the threatening form of lord death started coming closer with his gleaming yellow eyes Maka's soul was taken in by the ultimate fear.

´I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die´...repeated constantly in her head as Maka raised her right arm as if attempt to hide the the hair. She pressed him tightly against herself as if Shinigami's presence was sucking Asura away. Maka's eyes never left Shinigami's yellow ones. They didn't allow her to.

"Fine. Stay right there where you are. Don't you even dare to move. Understood?" Shinigami said and placed the palm of his hand above the duo on the ground.

Maka closed her eyes when the electricity was gathering on his hand. She was shutting them tightly and held Asura so close that she could feel his breathing. Maka completely threw herself on top of the Kishin as Shinigami snorted in disgust.

How would something as frail and as low as Kishin defeat him, stand above him and take his place among the other respected gods.

The sight he had seen at the sanzu river was not some low Kishin but something else.

´Does it mean that he's not ready yet? How could someone who already is a demon god not be ready? Is this bastard's soul evolving?` Shinigami thought as he let the electricity hit Maka making her scream. The wooden pillars, probably made from cherry trees showed the light that came from Shinigami's palms.

He stopped for a while.

"Do you still not wish to move Maka?" Shinigami asked. Spirit would curse after him because of this...

But instead of weeping Maka slowly raised her head and didn't let go of the man she was protecting. There was blood coming from her mouth and her clothes were ragged. The eyes showed the same as always. She would not let him die.

"I see..." Death said and raised his both hands letting his wavelength run wild, hurting her even more and making her scream in pain.

.

.

.

White.

He was stabbed. A hand went through his chest to his soul and Asura stared the attacker in disbelief.

"Wha-"

"_This is for your own good. Take it."_ the giant skeleton wearing a black cloak in front of Asura said and it really wasn't a nice feeling to feel someone invade your soul.

"Take it out! I don't want anything!" the demon god shouted, being already in messy state mentally and tried to yank the bone hand off but with no results.

"_Accept it!" _the other squatted forcing the Kishin down with incredible force. _"Burn it into that little brain of yours! Do not fear, do not show weakness. And get rid of that low excuse of Shinigami...I won't allow him to taint our name any longer." _

That was when the first, and the most important fragment of the oldest Shinigami went inside Asura's soul.

* * *

Everyone who were watching the city burn up from the desert felt guilt and worry and fear.

"Is Shinigami-sama alright?" Kim asked while trying to make the wounds older women and men had suffered, better.

"I don't know. I can't even say if he makes it out alive." Stein answered. Death city was now empty, if you could count out all the dead people in it. The living were here, with meisters and weapons, being protected. Suddenly a loud shout got everyone's attention.

"Look! The sky!"

"What?" Spirit gasped and students felt a sweat run across their spine.

"Wha..What is that?" Tsubaki asked and stared the sky above death city. There was giant skeleton above death city, merging from the fire and smoke . It's mask was showing it stared down to the ground.

"Where's Kid?" Liz asked suddenly. She remembered him from the mask the skeleton had on.

"I didn't see him coming out from death city..Shit!" Stein cursed and started walking away from the crowd but was stopped by Marie.

"Don't go there!"

"I have to! Kid's still in there!" Stein shouted trying to make some sense into her.

"No! You'll wait here just like all of us! If you go there you'll be affected by Shinigami-sama's and Kishin's wavelengths!" Marie shouted. She stated the facts and thought that Stein would listen to reason

"I have to go and get Kid out of there!"

"STEIN!" Marie said in an angry tone while tears streamed out from her eyes.

"Marie..."

"We've already lost enough people! I don't want to lose you!" Marie shouted and took a firmer grip of Stein's hand. The professor stopped his plans then.

* * *

Kid stumbled and dodged few burning wooden pieces coming from the houses. Everything was on fire. His mind was blank and the walk was not controlled or did it have destination.

"Father...where's my father?" Kid looked up with hazy yellow eyes and tried to sense him. Not good. All his senses were blocked due the madness mixed with his father's wavelength in the air. The ground under him crumbled and he didn't even bother to jump aside. Kid was holding his bleeding right arm and there was blood coming out from his head. Such a pretty thing blood is. Everything's red, everything's so hot. Flames, destruction collapsing buildings, corpses.

Order was nowhere in sight.

He let out a pained cry as he collided with ground beneath the streets.

"w...wait? Isn't this?.." He started to remember. So familiar hall...so familiar patterns on the doors and floor...Wasn't this Kishin's sealing chamber? Why were the doors that lead to the wooden room opened?

Kid stood up with the last remains of his strength and started walking towards the wooden doors. He left a trail of blood behind him. It was coming from his arm. When Kid walked into the wooden room, filled with pillars and sealing paper, he felt that his father was in here. But this wavelength...

Kid had to cover his mouth and nose ans stir his eyes. It was filthy and ugly. It wasn't the once proud and powerful but something powerful and low. Something like a great power that had fallen...

His steps echoes in the room and it was dead silent. Kid walked until he saw pillars who were taken down and they had claw marks on them. Pillars that had..black ink on them?

"Father must be close..." Kid stumbled to a rock on the ground and fell but he had difficulty when rising up. ´Not symmetrical at all...´

He stood up and resumed his walking but soon stopped. He saw something.

Shinigami's hand was going through Asura's chest. Maka was lying on the side, all bloody and broken. Healing all the injuries she had sustained would take months to recover.

Kid stared as he saw a long man with a long black hair and a black cloak. He was staring death from the back.

"Fa..ther?" Kid mumbled weakly and stared the sight. The cartoonish mask was discarded on the floor helped Kid when trying to recognize Shinigami. When hearing the weak call ´father´, Shinigami turned his head towards Kid. Kid stared into the gleaming yellow eyes that were so like his own. Kid smiled as if ignoring the little details that showed his father was not in brightest mood and this was not the time to talk. "Father I'm so glad you're alright." he started walking closer and Shinigami took his hand out from the Kishin's chest. The wound immediately closed and Kid stared Maka next to Asura.

"Father what's wrong with Maka? Did Asura do something?" Kid asked with a slight worry in his speech.

"I did that. And no she's not alright. She might even die..." Lord Death said and eyed Kid's arm. When Kid stepped out from the darkest place, Shinigami's eyes widened. All three sanzu lines were united.

"Father why? Did she do something?" Kid asked in disbelief as Shinigami took Kid's arm into his hand and started healing it.

"She protected the demon god. Of course I would punish her for that. She should've known better..." Shinigami answered as the wound on Kid's arm was slowly disappearing. Kid placed both of his hands to the sides of his father's face.

"Please forgive me honorable father but is this your real face? I have never seen it." Kid said and felt the skin on Shinigami. His father stared into Kid's eyes. The same act was now carried out by Shinigami.

"My son...Kid my time has come." Kid's eyes widened as he saw how his father's body was slowly dispersing into thin air.

"No! Don't go! FATHER!" Kid screamed and tried to hold the face a little longer but could no longer grasp it. He couldn't touch his father any longer.

"Do not fear. That low demon god will not be able to do anything." Shinigami's face quickly turned to mad smile as he patted Kid's head and hugged him, completely covering him with the black cloak. "For I've placed my fragments in his soul. He'll die." Shinigami laughed a little and let his long black hair fall to the ground. The ceiling was crumbling and the room was shaking but neither one of them cared.

"Father..." Kid's arms were slowly beginning to hold nothing as the weight on him was becoming nonexistent. "No..No father wait! Don't leave me behind!" Kid tried to change things with his pleads and tried to hold Shinigami but the last thing he ever saw was a warm smile directed from a father to a son.

And Kid screamed for his father and mourned. He held the broken mask until it too disappeared into the air like thin dust. The ones standing in front of death city cried when Shinigami's wavelength was disappearing and the skeleton like flame monster closed its eyes and went back to being only flames. Sky was being blue again and the fire was no longer but Kid felt like he was the only person in the world. When he turned his head to see how Maka was, he didn't see Asura next to her. Guess that filthy demon god had ran for it.

"Why...why did he have to survive...?" Kid buried his head to his knees and cried. No one saw it but he cried.

"I'll kill him...I'll KILL HIM!" Kid cursed as the salty water coming from his eyes and falling to his wounds. The dust that was around got into them and they hurt. The ceiling had also crumbled from the part where his father had stood and bright sunlight came through the rocks and pillars and lit the basement. Kids mouth was dry but he continued to weep and scream until the rescue party was coming to save the injured ones. The first ones to enter the great hall were Liz and Patty and of course, Spirit. He rushed immediately to Maka's side and cried for his daughter's sake. Liz and Patty went quickly over to Kid and hugged him but no embrace could heal the young Shinigami's wounded soul.

Thus it was therefore proclaimed that Death City had lost its mightiest fighter and their father figure.

* * *

**Back to the present:**

The morning was beginning to come into view as Maka opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she noticed was how cold it was, and she tried to put a blanket on top of her.

"munch, munch, munch, munch, munch, munch..."

What an annoying sound. A little tick appeared on Maka's head and she realized that ´hey. Aren't my clothes different somehow from what I wore yesterday?´ but paid no mind to it. She took the blanket she had kicked to her feet and laid down and tried to resume her sleeping

"munch, munch, munch, munch, munch..."

Having a slight headache from yesterday and a slight amnesia, remembering nothing from the moment onwards where the evil egg had asked that did she like Asura. She had nightmares because of that damn it.

"Munch, munch, munch, munch..." something was falling on her cheeks and she opened her eyes again reluctantly. Maka stared the blurry figure above her. She was becoming sick because it seemed like the cottage could wobble. Maka squinted with shady eyes and noticed that two eyes the size of a plate were staring her. A crooked nose was also shown and the munching...oh how irritating it was. It seemed like the witch (well it can't be anything else now can it.) seemed to made crumbs on her.

"Good morning." the witch said as she was eating two dried bread at the same time.

"Morning." Maka answered. She was too used to the weird stuff now. "Are we moving?"

"I'm surprised that you aren't surprised. Yes we're moving." the witch answers and walks to the stove and forces two more logs to go in. Maka stands up. It's difficult.

"Are we flying?" Maka asks and stares out of the windows. They weren't so high above the ground. Just about five meters?

"We're walking. Haven't you heard that abandoned cottages in the middle of nowhere belong to witches? Especially in Russia. The cottages transfer from place to place with chicken legs." The witch explained. Maka stared out from the windows. To her amazement she caught a glimpse of that by seeing a chicken's leg on the right side. The old looking witch walked between the cupboard, stove and the cabinet that probably contained food.

"By the way have you seen a cranky looking bored old man?" Maka asked and started somehow helping carrying the stuff from the cabinet to the stove. The witch blinked.

"No. But if you mean a really freaky looking young guy wrapped in scarves then he's sitting on the roof." she answered and started putting bread on the pan that was on the stove. The smell of bacon and eggs got mixed in and the tea was already poured into almost breaking mugs that were on the table.

It was almost normal.

Maka, after eating and drinking the tea, walked out from the cottage and climbed up to the roof. As the witch had said, Asura was sitting on the roof. Mumbling to the rare birds he saw and scared away. Except for the ones that belonged to the witch and apparently thought the Kishin was a stump or a tree. He had many birds sitting on his head shoulders, lap and legs.

"Good morning mr. failure as a bird scarer." Maka said with a humored voice.

"Shut up. At least these are not pigeons." Asura answered quite bluntly. Maka sat few feet away from him and stared the snowy scenery.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"We've been through this many times already. I never get cold."

"Are you hungry?"

"I'm not eating anything you've made."

"You know if I had a book right now I would do a direct maka-chop."

Then there was silence. They really weren't much of a conversation partners. Maka sighed.

"You know what?"

Asura didn't answer. Maybe he already got fed up with talking. Maka didn't particularly care if he did or didn't answer.

"I saw a dream."

"People usually do." Asura answered now shoving off another bird but they just kept coming back.

"You were in it."

The demon god turned his head towards the girl and the squeaking that the cottage made when moving was really starting to get to his nerves. Maybe he would get used to it later.

"It was about what happened to Shinigami-sama." Maka hugged her legs and turned his head to look the older man. She knew he didn't like to talk about the subject so as guessed, he snorted.

"Must have been the worst kind of a nightmare ever." Asura said and this time ignored the coming bird that sat on his stretched arm.

"Not really." Maka smiled and stretched her arm too. An owl ascended onto it.

"I really like it after all."

* * *

I'M EXTREMELY ANNOYED! And I don't even know why. Writing about Shinigami-sama makes me do EXCALIBUR ANNOYED FACE! I like him but then I hate him...aaaa this chapter was so hard to write...and yes I know, sanzu is not a magical river that shows the future but a river of the dead.

Excuse me for this, I greatly apologize for this mistake I just noticed: I've mixed the words "sign" and "sight". Meaning that I might have written "He didn't see a sign of him", when I meant "He didn't see s sight of him." I'm not English so I think you can understand, but it really must be awful for you to read something as mistake full as sideways. I try to fix the mistakes the moment I spot them. And no, the story about witches' cottages using chicken's legs for transport is not made up by me. My friend's a Russian and she told me that they do so. I found out that writing about KidxShinigami is very easy and funny. Actually Kid's love and respect for his father is going to be fairly important in the later chapters so keep eye on him :D

and what could it be. Hehehehee. What did Shinigami ask from Eibon? Well READ TO FIND OUT!

**EXTRA:**

Maggi: I LOVE IT!

Maka: Love what?

Maggi: Kuroshitsuji season 2 ended and the final episode 12, I LOVE IT! Ciel turned to demon and he lives forever and since Sebby didn't eat Ciel's soul, he'll have to be Ciel's butler for eternity!

Asura: Eternally tied to each other. I don't like it.

Maggi: What DO you like. Something other than souls and power.

Asura: Nothing.

Maka: HEY!

Maggi: aaaaa! I can't wait for the third season! (if they make one.)

**EXTRA 2:**

Asura: Why am I still here?

Shinigami: Curse you damn Kishin *has a halo above his head *

Asura: That's just so lame. Go blame the rubbish bin.

Shinigami: How rude! I'll send my ancestor after you!

Asura: Now you're just being annoying. Go off to Hades. I'm the almighty and ONLY god in this fanfic.

Shinigami: No you're not. I just got revived Did you forget?

Asura: Then I'm the only god who isn't half dead and still hasn't gotten over with the revenge thing even though I really didn't do anything.

Shinigami: I'm not here and I'm not listening!

**Until the next chapter & Cookies for everyone who reviews!**


	21. Mandatory visit

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

**THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN BETA'ED!  
**

Chapter 21. Mandatory visit

_Dead dog bark, bark._

It had been a tough day to say the least. Maka was dead tired from using her weapon capabilities in every freaking hour! Seriously it was starting to piss her off too but when she turned around and saw how Asura was snickering at her devilishly, she made up her mind to complete the damn training as fast as she could. Well training in the snowy ground, in the middle of nowhere, traveling in a cottage that was currently resting on top of the snow, was definitely not the most brightest way to get stronger or use local transportation.

"But why chicken legs?" Maka asked, somehow curious how did the legs work but the witch, that was currently her landlord (since Asura was almost always walking net to the cottage, sitting on it or being away.). The crooked nose turned to face her as the other hand of the witch was muddling the weird looking soup that was boiling on the stove.

"Only this house has those legs. Other witches prefer ´staying still´, as it could be called."

"So you prefer moving around don't you?" Maka asked and sat down into the old looking armchair. The dust was still present and it seemed like the witch didn't even want to clean her house.

"Of course. If I stayed in one place all the time, I would get caught. Mind to tell you that whenever you steal a kid, you should immediately move away from that place." The witch continued. Maka blinked. Had she heard right?

"Do you steal kids?"

"Yes. Old habits die hard. But at least I'm using them fully." Maka watched as the witch smiled and it revealed her teeth and it seemed like she hadn't brushed them in a long time. Maka winced and looked the soup where the witch was currently putting some pepper in. The brooms in one of the closets rocked a little as Maka was pushed into the armchair more heavily when she realized that the house was starting to move again.

Now she had heard about old Russian witches kidnapping children and then eating them. This witch also seemed to have the brooms she heard they flied around and caused accidents once in a while (Not that any other witch wouldn't behave differently...). The witch seemed to notice Maka's behavior chance and sighed. She flicked her fingers and suddenly a big book came flying towards Maka. She caught it in surprise.

"If you want to know about me you should read that." the witch said and wiped her hands to his apron. Maka stared the book in disbelief. It. Was. HUGE! She had never seen book this huge before. Maybe there were bigger ones but she preferred the ones that didn't cross the 2000 page limit. The smell that came from the cauldron that was on the stove, spread into the whole room and Maka could have guessed that there was a very faint scent of blood in it. She, not bothered, opened the book and started reading in her mind.

_´Baba Yaga's a witch that teals children and presumably eats them. S__ome characters in other mythological folk stories have been known to seek her out for her wisdom, and she has been known on rare occasions to offer guidance to lost souls. _

_Her home, hut is surrounded by a palisade with a skull on each pole, or both. The keyhole to her front door is a mouth filled with sharp teeth; the fence outside is made with human bones with skulls on top, often with one pole lacking its skull, leaving space for the hero or heroes. In another legend, the hut does not reveal the door until it is told a magical phrase: "Turn your back to the forest, your front to me". _

_In some tales the hut is connected with three riders: one in white, riding a white horse with white harness, who is Day, a red rider, who is the Sun, and one in black, who is Night. Baba Yaga is served by invisible servants inside the hut. She explains the riders if asked, but may kill a visitor who inquires about the servants...´_

Maka didn't shiver at the thought of bone palisade. She shivered at the thought that the woman, who was kindly making them food (which she probably wouldn't eat after all this) was a **great **witch.

"Baba Yaga..But wasn't that Arachne's castle?" Maka asked herself out loud and managed to get the older woman's attention.

"hm? You mean the spider? Oh yes. Such a young woman. And beautiful too if you ask me." The old woman giggled in her raspy tone as Maka went through the book.

"This doesn't say what kind of magic you do?" Maka asked and stated in one sentence. The old woman laughed.

"What good would it do to tell the writers what kind of magic I use?" She said and resumed to stare her cauldron. Suddenly a question popped into Maka's mind.

"Has Shinigami-sama been after you?I mean, you look powerful and all but.." She closed the book and the witch flicked her fingers once again for it to go back to the old mahogany book shelf it was from.

"Good question. Indeed he was after me in one time, mainly because I eat children. I'm not stupid enough to duel a god which would probably be the end of me. I escaped. After that I haven't seen that man. In fact I haven't seen other witches in a very long time."

After that conversation, they didn't speak. Maka was allowed to play with the witch's potions in her free time and she quickly took a great interest in mixing them together and waiting to get a reaction. The older witch, from time to time seemed to be eager teaching her about witchcraft and magic and Maka gladly accepted these lessons.

Reading books about witches and magic was easy and the theory part was no problem either. She even got told that every person has a slight magic residing in them. In normal people it was just so small that they wouldn't be able to use it but it could be used against them. Just like mind charms and magic that controlled people. Then there was the magic of soul which resided, a little stronger, in meisters and weapons. The third level was Shinigami's magic which nearly was as powerful as witches' original magic.

"I have magic in me?" Maka asked in disbelief as if just learning something extremely secret information.

"Of course you do child. Everyone does. If you want I can check what class your magic is in." the round plate like eyes observed Maka's every move. Maka's eyes were gleaming with sparkles and a light blush was on both of her cheeks. She was excited. Very excited.

"Can we do it now!" She jumped up making the older witch nearly fall back.

"Y..yes. We can. I don't have anything to do for a while and it seems like your companion has decided to not let us enjoy his presence." The witch muttered and regained her composure. She gestures Maka to sit down and then the witch went over to one of the closets and started going through it. Weird things flew out from it, such a things as; Frog's legs, skin of a snake, few dangerous looking teeth and lots more. Finally when Maka heard the sounds of things flying out of the closet cease, she raised her head, because staring the floor was highly interesting while being bored, and saw how Baba Yaga walked towards her with a basket in her hands.

"Stay put and don't move."

Maka listened quite obediently and watched the older witch to paint some weird decorations on her face and arms. (She wasn't wearing her spartoi coat.) Then she ordered her to stand up. After painting some decorations to her legs too the witch started to draw a circle, looking kinda simple circle around Maka. She did it with white chalk.

"Now then. Here we go." Yaga said after being ready with drawing. She out the chalk away and raised her arms above the white lines. Maka heard her mumbling something in a language she did not understand but didn't actually care neither. She was fascinated by the glowing light that went through the lines and circle and the decorations on her skin and floor started to gleam. Pure white light. The vortex of light seemed to open a hole on the floor and a little wind was surrounding the circle, making papers and books fly with it. Suddenly a slight light began to grow around Maka and when it started changing color, she saw how the expression changed on the older woman's face. The rainbow colors that spread across the room and probably went through the windows. The glow then stopped and the papers and books that were flying around with the wind, dropped onto the floor and Maka noticed how the circle and the decorations on her skin were gone. They were replaced by the glowing aura.

"I must say...This is... surprising." Baba Yaga whispered to mostly herself but Maka caught on.

"What's surprising. Rainbow colors? Are there going to be unicorns next?" Maka asked with sheer sarcasm in her voice. She had already known about black magic and white magic since Shibusen taught its students a little about witchcraft since they were educated to duel against witches. No book however said anything about rainbow colored magic.

"I cannot believe that you have this much magic in you. And it's such a rare class too..." Maka could see the excitement on the features of the witch who quickly stepped closer. "Yes, yes. This is Prism magic. No doubt it."

"What magic?" Maka asked. The older witch raised her index finger up and started explaining.

"You do know that magic has classes. Altogether there are 13 of them. Among all of those, Prism is the most rarest. It's only seen once or twice in millennium. Prism magic allows the user to know all types of ´_color´ _magic without making any magic weaker than others. The only magic you can't use, well most of the witches can't since it's mostly skill for werewolves, is Fey. I have only seen one woman who can use it...this is interesting."

"So can I use magic if I try hard enough?"

"You must have a special crystal to channel all that power. You can hide it in weapons and make them stronger etc..But first you need that crystal." Baba Yaga explained. Suddenly Maka gasped.

"So If I can channel it to my scythe can I make it more powerful?"

"Just like death scythes. Except they have to eat witch's soul first before gaining any magical abilities over their weapon blood. Of course those abilities are limited to the power which the witch held."

After listening two good hours of explanation, Maka was told that if she wanted to become stronger and probably give heart attack to Shinigami because channeling magic through a weapon made from herself, she would need to read all the books that the older witch carefully piled in front of the dusty armchair. It would probably take a month even if she was a bookworm. The books looked old and she hadn't seen them in Shibusen's library so she guessed that they weren't student material.

Indeed...the first book she opened from the first page started going through black magic.

* * *

**In Kid's house:**

Shinigami growled in frustration. He was sitting in his own home, on his own armchair, tapping his fingers to the armrest as Kid was doing something in the kitchen.

´How could this happen? I'm sure this place shouldn't have changed _this _much.´ he thought. Indeed, When Kid's panic was over, the sea of questions that left from the younger shinigami's mouth seemed to be never ending. After finally stopping, without receiving any answers, Kid escorted his father away from the death room and tried to choose the best, non-public streets that lead to his house. It would be _very _unwise to let people see the _supposed to be dead _Shinigami walking as if nothing had happened. All the stalls were at different places they used be and the houses were built slightly differently but it could be seen that they wanted to make them look like the old ones had. Guess the fire really destroyed bunch of things.

"Father, I've bought you something to drink and eat. Please help yourself." Kid stormed into the room holding a platter that had some food and what seemed to be hot chocolate on top of it.

"You do realize that I don't need neither of those right now." Dead asked and raised an eyebrow. His son's fast changing emotions were a sheer miracle. At one moment he's in panic, screaming his lungs out, the other he starts dragging dead away from Shibusen with complete confusion and worry carved into his features. Kid lowered his shoulders and looked at his father sheepishly.

"yes. I'm sorry. I just thought that now that you're back, honorable father, you could need some rest and these."

Shinigami eyed his son and brushed the long black hair locks away from his shoulders. Holding his hand out while resting his head on the other that was on the other armrest, Kid gave him the big mug he used to drink from when he was _alive. _Kid put the platter on the small table next to his father's armchair and quickly sat on the floor. The fire in the fireplace was calming and it was warm. Death was surprised that it wasn't snowing already but it should soon.

"So father," Kid began, "May I ask why you suddenly decided to return?"

"I don't know." Shinigami said bluntly and watched in amusement while sipping down the hot chocolate, when Kid's face turned into one of total disbelief.

"Honorable father, how come you do not know that why you're suddenly walking around as if nothing happened year ago?" Kid asked. He was feeling slightly bitter that he wasn't informed, well if he could be. And as if reading the youngster's mind death answered,

"I don't now and how in the right name of death god's could I have been able to inform you?"

"But father-"

"I do not dwell in the past Kid." He said and received a look from Kid and corrected his sentence, "though there are exceptions..."

Kid sighed. He noticed his father drift into his thoughts again and he left his father be. Kid didn't know what kind of stress coming back to life caused one's body but it must a lot. At this point Kid also noticed That Shinigami's right arm, the one holding the mug, didn't have muscles or skin on it. Just pure bone. Could it be side-affects? Returning to life was uncommon so no one knew about what could come with it. At least the hand seemed to work and Kid's father treated it like it was normal occurrence. Ignoring it.

After a few couple of hours, Kid was still trying to stay awake, even though his eyelids threatened to close and he was yawning. Shinigami seemed to notice this and asked Kid before ordering him to go to sleep.

"You do realize that you cannot tell anyone about this little ´accident´?"

Kid slowly answered with sleepy voice. "Of course honorable father..." and collapsed onto the floor. Shinigami left Kid there before walking away few minutes later.

He wasn't yet in full power. No. He would need time to regain all of his strength and even then, if he wanted to act, he needed to do it so that other people didn't realize. A familiar scowl crept up to his face as he passed all the paintings in the hallway.

* * *

**With Spartoi (In Shibusen):**

And this was unbelievable. Just a moment ago they had gone through strategies of ´how-do-we-get-Maka-back?`, and they had come to a conclusion that none of them worked. Black Star who had been defeated by the odd witch that traveled with Maka (Although not any longer but Spartoi didn't know that.) and then the Kishin was brought up.

"We need to get stronger. Otherwise we'll never defeat them." Black Star suddenly declared, startling everyone in the small room. They had returned to Shibusen when hearing that Kid had summoned them back. Seems like since Maka was considered as traitor, much like Chrona was, there was no longer any need to search for her. Slowly Black Star took a deep breath and continued where he had left.

"Look, I don't know if you guys care but at least I wanna do so. I wanna drag her back and give her a piece of me. If words won't work then fists do. The same thing happened with Kid right? Why can't we just pretend that she has been taken over by the madness?" Surely it was a fool's idea and fools they were. No children but fools.

"We should train. Get stronger and show them what we are made of. And besides if we defeat Asura then the world's peace will be returned." Jacqueline stated as she was leaning against the wall having her arms crossed. The occupants of the room winced and scowled when the demon god's name was mentioned.

"We need to find soul too!" Tsubaki said and soon there was clamor that only lead in one thing.

"Just you wait Maka, Soul...We'll definitely get you back."

* * *

**And somewhere where knives fly...**

"What ARE you doing you stupid girl?" the bad Maka asked, black dress on her.

"I'm practicing. Go away. I don't need you pestering me now." the Spartoi Maka answered to her replica. The black gave her a snort and kicked the pile of old books making it crumble.

"Hey!. Those are kinda expensive and rare!" The witch shouted, being slightly irritated. She had actually had no idea that the girl happened to have (almost like) split personality. Well if you could call a 3D body a personality, maybe a sister then, who appeared out of nowhere.

"You should be mastering the scythe and black blood but here you are! Reading something as useless as magic books." The other had few ticks on her head and she grabbed Spartoi Maka's shirt and made her look right into those mad green eyes. "Bitch are you even listening?"

"Why am I insulting myself?" Maka screamed, being quite flabbergasted.

"Don't you dare to lump me into the same class as you." came a loud growl from the black. "And where's my darling? I thought he should be with you?"

"Your _darling _is outside, probably because he couldn't handle to sleep with the avatar of Stupidity." Maka shot back with a glare.

"You do realize you're insulting yourself as well." The black shot back and soon it became a fist fight. Indeed, ever since Asura had came home and wanted to sleep in bed, not wanting to be outside because a blizzard was there, but as soon as he was comfortably in bed, he noticed the weird creeping sensation that someone had sneaked into HIS bed and was now hugging him from behind. Receiving nagging from Maka and soon unable to listen anything, being too tired, he welcomed the blizzard with open arms.

The old witch was slightly surprised when weapons started coming from both of their bodies, delivering fatal wounds, but only to the spartoi one because she wasn't wearing that weird dress that gave off a nasty feeling.

"Um...girls, I think this has-" She was cut off when piece of a broken scythe suddenly decided to fly to the wall, too close for comfort. It was sticking few inches away from Baba Yaga's neck!

And then the door opened a little and freezing demon god stepped in.

"Welcome back." The witch said and poured the hot water into one of the mugs and put in some leaves. Probably tea.

"Good morning. Now to you guys..." Asura turned his head to face the fighting duo on the ground. They were so bloody loud that it didn't make any difference if he was outside or inside.

"I thought you couldn't freeze to death." The witch commented with indifference. The demon shot her a glare.

"It's a freaking BLIZZARD. Of course it's cold." He walked over to the two Maka's and smashed their heads right into each other. Both of them were knocked out, must be because they were already tired, and Asura mumbled something with ire and went back into the bed. The witch drank her tea and put a blanket on top of Maka (the black one was already gone.) and with a flick of her fingers, all the lights were turned off and she disappeared.

The morning after that wasn't quite different.

"I want to wash myself..." Maka complained.

"I want to sleep with him..." Black Maka pointed her index finger towards Asura and sighed.

"..." as guessed Asura said nothing.

"I can give you bath but for the other..." The with answered and gave Maka a towel. She turned to look the duo beside spartoi Maka. Asura was still in bed, refusing to get up, and if forced, he would blow away the whole hut. It had taken quite few apologies to get him at least settle down. Mental note: Do not wake the sleeping Kishin, or order him around. Especially when the said Kishin isn't a morning person and happens to be a little...snappy.

"don't try to do anything to him when I'm gone." Maka said to her replica and walked over to the door that had magically appeared out of nowhere. Thank god world had magic!

The door to the bathroom clicked as it closed.

The next thing was black jumping on the bed and spilling the coffee on the table near the bed onto the snappy kishin. The next thing happening was lump of black flying out of the window and Vajra blast following the target obediently.

The hut went cold immediately because of the broken window. A little gesture from Baba and the hut was as good as new again

And it continued.

It continued for days. Days her _guests _were constantly breaking something or trying to kill each other, and it was always, SHE who had to clean up after them.

"SERIOUSLY! I'm going to hex you if you dare to even move now!" Baba shouted with ire.

The room fell quiet and after that a quiet knock at the front door took everyone's attention away from the raging witch.

It wasn't actually windy outside and it was sunny. The old witch walked over to the door while muttering something like curses Maka had read when she wasn't utterly annoyed. Acting as if it wasn't important who the hell was paying a visit to a loner, Maka started reading again.

"Go away." Asura mumbled when he looked almost as if pitying and being in utter anguish at the same time.

"Keep dreaming. That other in the dream scape isn't half as entertaining as you are." Black Maka answered and started snuggling against the very uncomfortable demon god.

"You actually have a place to live? I thought you were just another prost-"

"Watch your words." Both of the Maka's said and twin scythes were on his throat.

"But really." Black smile a goofy smile, "The other you just sleeps and keeps eating the mandarins and when I try to speak or touch him, he disappears into the ground." Black Maka complained and gave a scowl.

´Valuable information.` Maka thought mentally.

"What?" Said Asura. Only then Maka took her nose out from the book and apprehended that the demon god Kishin Asura had just been informed about a being that was her damn mind's creation.

"You didn't know?" the snuggling stopped and she turned to face Maka. After that an insane giggle erupted from those lips.

"You haven't told him? God you're pathetic!" She took a hold of the scarves around the kishin's neck and dragged him down to the eye level and whispered down his ear and got few complaints and curses.

"_There's another you inside of her."_ Maka whispered into Asura's ear and his eyes seemed to widen a bit. He would have asked something if a book wasn't slammed into the black's head and into his face. Another melee started.

"So...what brings you here?" Baba asked and dodged a flying candle coming from behind.

"Oh nothing in particular. Have you grown tired of those three yet?" Medusa asked and moved her black hood away. Baba snorted in annoyance and turned her head to the side. Typical. Medusa chuckled.

"I have come to collect them if you would." She gestured Baba to let her in and the older woman did as told.

"Hey we have a visitor!" She shouted a hand cupping other side of the mouth so that her voice would be louder.

The melee immediately stopped and taking the thing account that none of them were too fond of Medusa, each had a different face of disgust displayed.

"Not that woman again." Black Maka said and it was as if she had just stated all of their thoughts. "Go back. We don't need you here."

"Such a cute clone you have here." Medusa completely ignored their little speech and was already observing the black twin. "You seem to have put black blood into good use. Is this the same as in Arachne's castle?" She asked and took a little of the hem of the black dress into her hands and tried to feel it. It was almost as if it was made from the finest silk. Black actually snuggled closer to the demon god and the blades were already out and they threatened Medusa to come closer.

"I have a proposition." The younger witch chuckled and stood up from the ground level. Baba was already gone from the room. Probably had enough of them. "Would you like to come and live with me?"

There was a silence that lasted for few minutes. The proposition seemed so off the original character traits that Medusa usually had that it made Maka want to laugh.

"What make's you think that we'll accept? Have you lost your mind?" Black laughed and Maka sniggered. It was as if Medusa was trying to ask something from snobby children.

"Not exactly. I just thought that it would be good for you. Especially you." Medusa's eyes trailed off to the cranky Kishin who just raised and eyebrow but a little fear crept into those scarlet eyes when the next was spoken.

"Eibon's already searching for you."

* * *

Oh yes. I heard a funny rumor in the forums of some place I forgot. It seems that some people think that Maka's mother's a witch. Well it just adds to the excitement and I kinda like the idea, so I'll be using it from now on. And this makes Maka a witch, weapon, human, meister hybrid. Did I forgot something? Nah. Oh and Next fic is starting from a time loop. It'll be about two years into the future because writing about training and all the things they do in that time is ...

And you guys** REVIEW**! You need to **REVIEW**! I have hard time writing when I don't know whenever you like the story or absolutely loathe it. Only dino and twins are reviewing which makes me happy but other guys too! I understand if you're unsociable but no one's going to judge you about what you write about my fic! Flames too! I wanna get flames too!

So please:

**REVIEW!**


	22. Noah & Eibon

**Sideways has over 2000 hits and 64 reviews! Wohoo! But I'm planning to get the review count to at least 100 so would you help me?**

**Alright and then another note: Since Maka's been with Medusa and her gang + Asura for the past 2 years (a little over), you must realize that this affects her personality. She's not going to be that little naïve little girl who left Shibusen. She's really going to be dark but when she fights with well Medusa then she can let few tears out because Medusa doesn't really care... But will she stay dark, you'll have to find out by reading sideways :D**

**THANKS FOR THOSE WHO PUT THIS STORY IN THEIR FAVORITES, MADE ALERTS AND REVIEWED! (/*A*)/**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

**Bold= Really...it can be anything... -_-**

Chapter 22. Noah & Eibon

"_We're both inventors, Scientists so I thought you would understand."_

It was Spring and birds sang on the trees outside. The trees themselves had began to have sprouts and the air felt clean. In these two years Medusa's base's location changed every few month. She didn't want to get discovered by enemies and therefore it was perfect place for hiding. Maka had actually became used to the ever ending moving and thus didn't really have any belongings except for few books. Now things had been almost normal but there were always bad days

_Inside the base 9:00 AM Monday:_

A shrieking laugh echoed from the walls. It would have almost damaged one's hearing system if standing too close by. It went pass the the huge wooden doors and was heard in the hallways too. Servants ceased walking and went to hide.

_´She's coming, she's coming!´ _they whispered and quickly fear took over them. Soon the laughing stopped and everyone, even the rats, the spiders went to the most dustiest corners of the manor, tried to squeeze themselves to tight that _she _would not be able to find them.

The clatter of high heels was heard but no door was opened.

_´No doors can hold her. She's just like a ghost...´ _whispered some mothers to their children, using her as a bedtime story. She had became a living nightmare around there. All the little towns knew what to do when _she _came into the town. Maybe to buy food, maybe to shop some books. But she always left the trail of death when she went away.

Yes. In Medusa's base, clatter was echoing from the walls and the only beings that didn't falter or hide, were the black snakes. Medusa's tracking system Her security cameras.

"Come out and play Eruka. Do you want to play hide and seek this time? Or maybe tag?" Maka said with a voice that sent shrills run through Eruka's spine as she was hiding

"Don't find me, don't find me, don't find me...!´ Eruka repeated in her head.

It had happened again! The frog witch knew from the moment that when the tiny little meister stepped into this base (not even speaking about the other, more likely world ending dude with her) that it would mean trouble. But Medusa just says that she has it under control. What the heck is she control in if that _thing _can roam around this place all day and night whenever_**the real **_Maka Albarn goes to sleep. Mentally. Yeah they have gone through it with Medusa and Free that Eruka and all the servants just had to run when that happened because seriously, you didn't want to be near her when that happened. It was precarious thing that didn't think twice when cutting someone up with the black blades. And Medusa was stupid enough, yes repeating stupid enough to teach the girl how to channel magic to the blade so that it could make wounds that could not be healed.

"Found you." was the slight whisper that came from the front of Eruka. The woman quickly raised her head from her knees and met the mad green eyes. "Honestly you didn't think you could hide from me did you?"

a black electric snake made its way from Eruka's mouth to encircle her, to protect her from the _slight_ harm the girl could do.

This thing, this replica was dangerous. Too dangerous! There were other black snakes too in this great hallway. They were like security cameras to Medusa. And speaking of the devil...

"Eruka." came a smooth voice from behind one of the pillars that kept the ceiling up. The torches on the walls provided the only light needed and that gave a creepy shadow lingering across the snake witch's face. Eruka understood the message and quickly, with the protection of the snake so that Maka couldn't do anything to her, staggered behind the back of Medusa. Maka turned her head slowly as callous eyes found their prey standing next to one of the torches. From Medusa's mouth, there was an electric snake coming as she smiled cruelly to the child. No child should have the eyes of what Maka Albarn has but she has chosen otherwise.

"What do you want?" Maka asked with her normal voice, not the high pitched one of the replica.

"I would like you to refrain from scaring my servants to death. They can't work properly." Medusa said while a black snake was coming from her mouth and encircled the two witches, if there was an attack coming. "Or do you want me to get the Kishin to tame you. Again."

Maka winced. Asura's handling wasn't exactly gently, nowhere near it.

"You do realize that it was _her_ and not me?"

"Well try to keep her at bay. And while you're at it, can you do some shopping for me?" Medusa asked, changing her features from the scary one to the mother's smile like. But Maka knew better. That last sentence was an order and she hated taking orders from this woman.

"Fine." She turned in her heels and opened one of the many doors in that hallway and any of them could lead out.

X

Noah tugged at his robes. He had, after few downfalls, finally gotten himself a job. Well second job in these two years. With his new job he could easily point the locations of the demon tools scattered in the world. His first job was being in a supermarket, filling the shelves (you don't get paid well. Believe Noah) and getting comments about how did he get a permission to carry a really real looking sword around. Yes, at that time the great old one had went back into the book because obviously having nothing better to do. He could have fled yes, but to where? And not even speaking about Excalibur. The guy was hanging on Noah's hip, attached to the many belts so that he wouldn't fall off. In his weapon form. Oh he hated the nasty "fool." comments that arrived when some stupid tourist or his boss had the nerve to ask:

"Si Senior! Why do you carry a toy with you? Are you some kind of a knight? Aren't those extinct?" like questions that he didn't seriously want to answer but he said that it had memory value to him and that it belonged to his father that was dead. Weird thing was he never even knew who his father was.

But now things were different. He had earned a spot from South America's mostly respected group of scientists that learned from books and did experiments. Oh the lady luck smiled down at him.

", we hope to see you attend the meeting conversing on about the ancient tomes and that tool you found few months ago." said an old man, way older than Noah himself. He was wearing blue robes, marking that once in a time, he had been a sorcerer. None of these people here were completely ´normal´.

"Of course Mr. Woodengrave. I am very honored to be speaking with the likes of you after all." Noah answered and bowed a little. Now he didn't like this man very much and wasn't very fond of bowing to people when people usually bowed to him. In fact it made him sick since he was by far more talented and intelligent than this man standing few meters away from him. The older man started walking towards another wise looking witch that seemed to hold a file of something that Noah wasn't interested in.

The thing he was interested in were the ancient tomes and archeological findings that seemed to hold tremendous magical powers hidden within. They were probably leftovers from the first and second great Wizard wars that had been recorded in history books. Of course the writing in them, if some had, was scrappy and too old to relate.

Suddenly a wave of tiredness crept into Noah's mind and he yawned a little. ´Guess staying up late yesterday really was a bad idea after all...´ he thought and started walking towards his personal rooms. They looked straight out from the baroque period and the long dark blue velvet curtains that brushed the ground didn't let the sunlight in except from the little opening in the middle that gave Noah just enough light to coordinate straight to his bed. The soft and big carpet under his feet felt nice but nothing compared to the bed. It was perfect for sleeping. Not even a second after, without bothering to take off the heavy looking robes, Noah fell on the bed and immediately fell asleep.

X

**In Noah's dream:**

Noah opened his dark eyes. Finally a relaxing moment in the middle of a busy week. Strange how his dream reminded him of the book of Eibon. Could it be that the great old one was controlling his dreams now?

"No. You're wrong."

Noah immediately had all his senses alert. "Show yourself!" he shouted. A blurry picture started appearing in front of Noah and he took few steps back. His hand was on his book, ready to release grimoire worm in any second. ´great now people are meddling with my dreams too..´

But Noah's words fell short when he saw who it was that was causing him lack of sleep. It was Eibon, the original one, but he seemed a little different from what the index of the book had shown him from its memory.

"Good afternoon _Eibon._" The warlord said with such a indifference that it almost made Noah slip in his won dream. Getting addressed by the name he stole from the original by the real one made him feel like a fool.

"Good afternoon to you too." Noah said and bowed with mockery. He had always wanted to meet the father of all inventors, the one who made the demon tools in person and now here he was. Standing in front of him. "What gives me the honor for your visit."

"I need your help." Eibon said in his own bored voice (it seemed like the guy was always bored) and Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Help? From me? To do what may I ask?"

"I need you to find the rest of the demon tools fast." Eibon said. Even when the warlord was only standing, Noah could feel the power emitting from him. How...perfect.

"What makes you think I'll just do as you say?" a smirk played on Noah's face. He was interested in this little game of scientists. "What makes you think I'll do it...without getting paid?"

There was a slight silence

"We're both inventors, Scientists so I thought you would understand." Eibon drew the words out heavily and Noah could hear that he was disappointed. Why? What was there to be disappointed of? When the older man turned to walk away, his heavy robes trailing on the ground after him and the scarf around his neck flying up and down when walking, Noah gritted his teeth in anger.

"Wait!" he said and Eibon stopped walking. "Why can't you just do it yourself. I think you know where the tools are since you invented them. No scientist is stupid enough to make something and not mark it." Noah said while showing a smirk but still furrowing his brows. No way he was getting this chance slip by.

"Indeed they are marked with my signatures and I can easily pinpoint their location, but I have better things to do and why can't I ask a single favor from my copycat?" Eibon answered but the answer only made Noah furious.

"Now look here. You weren't there to use this book and finders are usually the keepers!" Noah shouted but his furious rant was cut off by the warlord.

"I am Eibon, one of the eight which determines the power. You, Noah on the other hand have nothing except my tools which refuse to work under you if I decide so. I am asking nicely nor do I want to ask any longer if your answer is no." Eibon said with no raise in his voice or what-so-ever. After that he swiftly turned, with his heavy robes, and disappeared from the dream. Noah had never felt such a utter need to prove himself. He wasn't some stupid kid who wanted to show his parent what he was capable of doing!

X

Kishin Asura was sitting on a small town's bench. No he still hates people and still its freaking awkward to sit in the crowd, heck even near one person if he doesn't know the said person. That's the main reason he couldn't concentrate in the book he was trying to read when all of his nerves were killing him. He really had to observe everything. What if there was an attack coming right behind the corner?

´I'm way too paranoid for my own good...´ Asura remarked to himself in his mind but the kept the mask of indifference on his features. Yes that was until-

"MOVE!" shouted someone and Asura barely had the time to pull his nose out from the book (he was literally almost touching pages with his nose, trying to hide) when a pistol was pointed straight to his forehead. The pointer was a girl, a street girl, carrying a bread, sweating a little, having red hair and a cap. She was wearing rags. Now how in the hell did someone so poor looking as her have a gun. Moreover wasn't she missing a teeth?

"You scumbag I told you to move didn't I?" She shouted and the people around the bench gasped and started to move away, hurrying. They didn't want to get shot on a nice Sunday morning.

"I SAID MOVE YOU-"

"Girl I'm not in your way and I rather have you not shouting. I'm going to go deaf." was the calm reply from the older man. who was this nutcase? She could just easily ran past him and he wouldn't do a thing.

"Oh, I don't think you got me right old man. I told you to move because I'm taking you as a hostage." a creepy smile came to the frowning face of the girl.

"For a bread?" if the kishin would have had eye brows one would have risen.

"Oh you don't need to know that. Now stand up or I'm gonna blast your skull open!" she shouted and Asura was getting annoyed. He could easily see that in the pockets of her clothes were jewelry. A thief huh?

"Tell me girl...do you fear me?" he said and crossed his legs and took more comfortable position. The right hand was on top of the opened book and the left one was on his lap.

"What..?"

"Of course you are. Since you have absolutely no idea that the moment you_ blast through my skull _you'll receive the most painful way to die. No one threatens me..." The last few words were spoken in a low tone and it made her step back.

"Wh..What are you talking about?" She said and took another step back.

"Do watch out." He warned and was about to shoot one of his scarves and cave her organs out for such a insult, but someone made it first.

"You know that's my bread you're holding there red head." Maka gave a soft tap on to the thief girl's shoulder and growled the words into her ear. The other gasped slightly and looked terrified. After that a scowl came.

"Just great...marvelous...I took it so it's mine." the girl clothed her probably dinner more tightly but it was over in a second. Maka slowly put a small electric snake from the pocket of her coat to the red head's chest and she was gone. Just ´puff´ and the girl got transported to somewhere.

"You know that I won't tolerate women who flirt with you." Maka said and turned her undivided attention towards the Kishin, who still apparently, was reading a book.

"She wasn't flirting. She was trying to kill me with a gun." was the lazy reply and sigh that followed it.

"She talked to you, you know." Maka raised her eyebrow. "I thought you disliked being talked to? Was I wrong?" she asked, while trying to drive off the curious people that stared them, with her glare. It was effective since they had seen what happened to the woman who had not listened. Obviously no one there was stupid enough to steal from her again. Did they even know what she had to go through to get her everyday food?

"And everyone who's talking to me is an enemy? Nice, very nice. At this rate you'll have half of the world killed in no time." Asura answered with sarcasm and glanced the dirty blond haired girl before trying to reason with her any longer. "Here." he said and handed the book to Maka. Obviously he had gone and taken it from Medusa's bookshelves without asking. Reading books was an easy way to kill time and boredom. Maka took the book and put it into one of her paper bags that contained her food. She also put the bread on the ground back there.

"Well they could be spies for Shibusen or to Noah." Maka answered, this time with more friendly voice. With her ´limited company´ in the years, taking it to account that she had been told to glare people off (honestly it became a bad habit), Asura must have been one of the only persons in the world, Maka directed her warm smile. Chrona came to visit her mother two times a year and had stayed about few days, so she knew about Maka living with Medusa but she didn't know about Asura. She was still working hard as a spy and people really didn't care since the state of everything was coming to order, bit by bit, so she hardly had anything significant to report back.

"Anyway let's go back." Maka said and lifted up the paper bag and started walking. The Kishin soon followed behind her.

If we focus now onto what changes they have gone through in these years then, Maka's hair had grown a little. Right now it was neatly tied to one ponytail even though she preferred pigtails. Maka liked her spartoi clothes yes, but no longer being in Spartoi meant that ´no,no´ for those clothes. She was wearing something similar to what she wore before the Shibusen's kids' squad was formed. A black coat that was open this time, the red Scottish _pants_ with it's black lines, white shoes that resembled the spartoi ones (they were much more comfortable than the belt boots). Her chest didn't seem to grow at all (not that she minded anymore. She just needed to curse a little from time to time.) Now she had gotten taller by few inches but was still, mind if I say, a beansprout. Asura hadn't almost changed at all. The guy refused to wear something ´different´ since it was scary and he wasn't ready for such a dramatic change. Mainly the coat (hey improvement! It only had one white shirt under it!) and the baggy pants but instead of being green, they were black. Maka liked to refer him as handsome but Asura liked to call the clothes´too revealing´ (even though they were not).

"So do you read newspapers?" Maka asked with enthusiasm.

"No. I have no need to know what's going on in the world since I'm going to screw the world." Asura answered and didn't even spare her a glance.

"Oh that's right. Well if you would, you would know that Shibusen's troops are awfully well. Honestly it's a miracle the world still doesn't know about Shinigami being alive." Maka chuckled and resumed to listing the events. She, Medusa, Asura, Chrona and few others were the only ones in the whole world knowing about the existence of the supposed to be dead Shinigami. No doubt Kid knew too. "...and then there's one little party I'd like to attend. I need a gown so help me choose." Maka turned to look to her side only to find that she had been talking to no one. A little piece of an paper caught her attention. She picked it up and read it.

_´You honestly don't believe I'm going to be stuck around shopping with you for god knows how long. Ask someone else.´_

She stared it and and then scrunched the paper and threw it into the rubbish bin near her. A slight red color crept onto her cheeks and she went to the ground burying her head to her knees while frowning heavily.

´God dammit! And just when I thought I would be alone with him...´ a slight growl of frustration escaped from her lips and she hastily took the bag from the ground and ran away from the scene over to the snake witch's base.

Another thing Maka Albarn had come to know along with these two years was that she had slight crush on Kishin Asura. Curse her for that.

X

"Hoo...This is interesting turn of tides." Medusa smiled with mirth while reading the newest report on her table. Oh she hadn't had this much fun since few hundred years back.

"What's interesting snake woman?" Free asked and walked over to Medusa who was sitting on a comfortable looking armchair in some kind of an library. Free had gone there to get away from the annoying servants and from the screams that erupted from the underground prisons.

"Shibusen has summoned all of it's troops all around the world to Death City." Medusa answered and read further, "it seems like the old fool wants to start a war."

"with who?" Free asked and looked absolutely surprised. He had a faint idea who it was that Medusa was talking about and seriously doubted that the Shinigami brat would do that.

"With witches of course. He has finally gotten spies into our society and our plan has come to light. That was fast if you ask me. I think Mabaa would have preferred to have few extra months to prepare _it_." She finished her sentence and folded to letter and threw it onto a nearby coffee table that apparently had her afternoon snacks placed on it.

"Should we hide? When does it begin?" Free started asking but Medusa just offered him one of her child scaring smiles.

"Why don't you ask from the one in the prison? I'm sure he'll be more than willing to let you know." She chuckled and took a sip from her herb tea. Free didn't really want to go down there. He usually came back half deaf since the screams if the prisoners. Especially that red hair that came few hours ago. She was particularly annoying so Medusa had her killed. After that she whispered about how she would teach the girl a lesson for sending a_ useless human _into her prison. There were also few students from Shibusen's troops but they remained quiet. At least they had been disciplined well.

"If they scream, they come to the end of their little line called life." Free muttered mostly to himself and exited from the spacious library.

At the the moment the door's ´click´ sound was heard, a book was handed to Medusa. She chuckled.

"Did you have pleasant reading moments?" She asked from Maka that stood next to the big armchair.

"Nothing new." Maka answered and walked to the coffee table and brushed her pants a bit. She could have been mistaken for a mini boy of some sort, hell when she went to city one time, to buy food again, some random girl had confessed. Asura has still not stopped teasing her for that. "Can't you give me something new? Something I haven't done or read yet. Something that I can become more powerful." Maka asked and ate a biscuit. Medusa sighed and picked up a teacup. The steam rose up from it

"You'll never be fully complete." Medusa said while shadows went over her eyes as she stared the tea in her cup. Maka gritted her teeth together and clenched her fist tight.

"I've trained two years with your aid, I've studied magic under you and under the other witches you know, I have the black blood in control and I can control my weapon abilities at my will so tell me, snake witch, ...COMPLETE!" Maka shouted and smashed a black scythe through the floor of the library. She didn't want to hear those words. She didn't want to feel like...useless.

"Calm down girl or I throw you out." Medusa said and her smile made her shudder. She hated this woman and her guts. Everything about the being called Medusa Gorgon. "The fact that you're still searching ways to get stronger proves my point. And furthermore, you can no longer evolve, that is the conclusion I've made within these past three months. Face it. You need to accept that you're not going to get any stronger than that. Why do you even wish to have power any longer girl?" Medusa asked and raised his eyebrow a little while glancing to the girl. When there was no answer Medusa just sighed and continued, "If you don't even know then don't bother. Those with no goals can never attain anything. Believe me."

The words struck Maka like knives. She didn't know why she wanted to get more powerful and suddenly a flashback started appearing in her head.

_2 years ago:_

"Wrong! You're doing it utterly wrong." Medusa sighed and shot her arrows at Maka who managed to dodge only half of them. The other half pierced her and it hurt like hell. She was trying to gain control of her new abilities but so far, there was no success.

"You're too damn strong!" Maka shouted from the ground but received a kick in the stomach (well she was already laying on her back) and coughed.

"Think you foolish girl! If that hadn't been me you would be dead already." Medusa tried to reason with her.

"I'm already half dead though." Maka shot a sarcastic comment and her eyes changed to slits. This was annoying.

"Well soon you can say bye bye to you-" Medusa didn't have time to finish her sentence when Maka was violently thrown against a wall. From there she pounced to the floor and a scarf hit her so that it sent her flying/crashing against nearby wall. "...bones." Medusa finished and stared the unmoving girl. She seemed to be somewhat convulsing. An irritated Kishin sat near the ceiling, on one of the many connection points that were attached to the pillars that held the ceiling. The scarves drew back to their master and Medusa sighed walked over to the _nearly _dead girl.

"You see, that's why. Now try again or else you won't get dinner."

"I..never..g..get any.." Maka whispered but was slowly getting up from the beating.

"There's still lots of things for you to learn. Now stand up and don't disappoint me." Medusa said as she launched another attack towards the petite meister.

_End._

Had she disappointed her in someway? Had she not met Medusa's expectations? She hates when she can't do what other people wish her to do well. It's like a quiz in the test that's placed right in front of your nose in school. She has to get it right. She has to be perfect. For whose sake? Can't it be just for her sake? Can't she fight for herself when the one she wishes to fight for doesn't need help.

"_You're weak."_

Medusa and Asura's voices become one and the features of the snake witch don't change a bit, when Maka unwillingly let few, very few tears leak and she storms out of the room, out of the house/base and out from Medusa's reach. She didn't notice Eruka standing few meters away from the library doors and she heard everything.

* * *

A/N: Yeah I hope I won't be hated because of this. I created wizard wars because, HELL SOUL EATER HASN'T REVEALED ALMOST ANYTHING! I find that kinda annoying but Ohkubo can take his time. I wait till the end of earth if I manage to see my Asura. Oh and what do you think about this; I plan to make Maka and Asura partners. Do you like it or should they stay this way they are. Of course partners means just from time to time. I'm not going to have them stay like that since it's...kinda awkward. And Maka left Asura! God that girl cannot make up her mind...

And sorry for the slow updating! I'm REALLY busy in this year because are lets of tests coming up and I don't just mean school tests. Damn you international...Well I'm extremely sorry about the length of this chapter! The next one will be over 10 pages I promise and with a lot more stuff in it!

**Anyway thanks for reading and remember to review!**


	23. Prison gates open up

**Beta: Otherguy14**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks or then just this._

Chapter 23. Prison gates open up

_The stained black bird who got locked up by taction._

_Couple of days later 4 PM:_

Asura had looked everywhere, repeating everywhere! And he still couldn't find that bloody she-male meister, not even catch her soul wavelength! Granted, the area he used it on was rather small but hey, couldn't have anyone detecting up where the snakey's base was. There was hell to pay when he found her. Asura completely and utterly ignored Maka with all his being but somehow managed to get a little possessive over her since over these two years since the only arm or body she's been clinging to, belongs to him. And now that place on the arm contained no arm, nor did someone cling to his body. It was highly alarming, but also very disturbing. Like when you hold Vajra in your right hand, then you do something and hold him again and suddenly he has become too light to use. Suddenly he spotted two of the witches in the snakey's base and decided to ask from them. What were they even doing? Bullying electric snakes?

"Where's that girl?" Asura asked. The voice that suddenly brought Eruka and Mizune back to earth had them shriek a bit. The kishin hardly ever talked to anyone. However, when there was shock there was also some other emotion on their faces.

Mizune looked equally surprised as Eruka. Surely the kishin would know where Maka Albarn was since she spent most of her time with him.

"You don't know?" Mizune looked almost fearful of what would happen if she said the next part that would reveal that the small meister had already left.

"You mean she didn't drag you with her, well obviously not." Eruka said. She climbed down from Jackson's back as the giant tadpole kept sleeping. "She left."

"Left? Outside to buy something again?" he asked a little unsure what they meant when saying ´left´.

"No, she left the whole base. I saw how she argued with Medusa and ran away with tears in her eyes. I think she has left us permanently. Well lucky for me! I don't have to be bullied any longer and..." Eruka continued her rambling but Asura stopped listening after the word _permanently_. So she left him behind and ran? How very brave, taking it to account that she was a mini knight. Not literally but still. Mizune had to stop Eruka from speaking since Asura had already left them by themselves. Eruka mumbled something about being an ungrateful but didn't continue, fearing that with some bloody magic he heard her and came back.

Once again he had no idea where she was. Sure Asura could use his insanity to track the madness of the other Maka and in that way find her but, there was a faint chance she might run away again and he didn't want to play hide and seek right now. Should he leave her to sulk with herself? The girl was unbelievably stubborn after all.

The three eyed bugs start to tremble at his feet and Asura just realized that they were there to begin with. He let one of them climb up and then settle down onto his shoulder.

"What do you think I should do?" The Kishin asked and the red sticky legs moved a little. He raised a hand to rub its stick like legs and sighed. There's a light sound coming from the bug but its just rattling like electricity. If it would have been cat, the sound would have been classified as purring.

"Yeah I know...I know." he answered to the nonexistent sentence and would've started walking if there hadn't been a sound of explosion behind him. Turning his head, Asura saw with his wide ruby eyes as the base was soon engulfed with flames.

* * *

"_I don't think this is the best idea."_ Maka's imaginary Kishin said and stood right next to Maka. She was squatting in front of the gown store in the city. People just stared her as they walked past by and wondered that was she an orphan perhaps? Maka didn't answer and just was there. What was worse was that it was becoming cloudy. Cloudy meant no sun and yes for rain. She didn't want it to rain right now...

"_Maka are you even listening?"_ Asura tried to speak to her and tried to touch her. He was wearing the normal scarves because Maka couldn't imagine him with the clothes Asura now wore in reality. In fact she knew she liked the old, fearful Asura more than the new one. Although partially she also knew that it was because of the fragments that the Kishin acted the way he did now...

Suddenly she let out a little laugh causing the man to stop his hand, just from inches from Maka's head.

"You know what? I wanted to buy a gown from here because I noticed something. There was a minor title in the newspaper and Medusa had files about the event because it's being held in one the bases of Shibusen." Maka said and sniffed a bit. Asura listened and drew his hand back but it was caught by Maka. The movement freaked out the people who stared the slightly crying girl that had her head rested on her knees. They couldn't see the hallucination at all. She squeezed the hand and continued,"I thought that..that it would make her happy if I would go there and snoop a little. Perhaps then she would...accept me. Perhaps if I did something for that witch then she would say, ´you've done well´. I could think for her as my...caretaker. For once." She raised her head from her knees and Maka revealed her puffy face from crying. "I just wanted to help. Is that wrong?" She asked and put hallucination's hand on top of her head, like it was meant to be.

"_Nah. It's not like that. You might want to brighten up your mood little bird." _the kishin said and with his skillful fingers, took the rubber band away from Maka's hair, causing the average long hair fall down. Maka felt her cheeks heat up a bit by the act. It had been awhile since her Asura had called Maka a little bird. She couldn't actually complain about the nickname. It was the name he called her when meeting with Maka for the first time. The consolation he offered her was also very nice.

"_Do you want to go in?"_ Asura asked and stood up. Maka, still slightly crying seemed a little hesitant but took the hand Asura was offering her. The shop was looking new, well it hadn't been there two years ago, and the handle was made from gold. A slight ´cling´ sound came from the bell next to the door, signaling that there was a customer. There were two other people inside there and she just knew it was the right place. Gowns, old and new were neatly lined up. Smaller ones in the middle of the room, bigger ones near the walls.

"Oh Miss Gorgon. How nice it is to see you again." The shop assistant said when finished with the previous customer. "Do you have something particular in mind?" He asked. Maka had come here two times with Medusa. The first one was to get a dress for one stupid ball she had to attend because being witch's apprentice had its own obligations. The second time they hadn't bought anything, just came to repair the old dress, which was by now, too small for her.

"Can I have something black." Maka asked. She was feeling rather grim right now and wasn't in the mood for rainbow colors.

"Black? But it makes you seem so pale miss. If anything, I would recommend this one here. Please follow me." the chubby man said. He had black hair, it was neat, and black mustache. He also was wearing a vest, boots and white shirt under the vest. He also had green trousers but the trouser's legs were neatly tucked into the long leather boots. She willingly followed and earned few stares from the two other ladies in the shop. Half of the people here knew her because of her temper and usual fights. Asura had disappeared somewhere in the shop and she couldn't spot him. Weird when it was such a small boutique.

"This one here miss." the shop assistant said and he raised the magnificent looking gown from the table. It was new, Maka knew because of the smell. It was a white gown that's long hem would be slouching on the ground, way over her max height. It also had internal black lace and three layers. The one in the middle was the same color as the one atop it. The textile had some patterns on its hem and they climbed up at one point. It didn't have any neckline and the sleeves were going along the hands, they were strict and ended when reaching the wrist. The gown also had few textile roses sewn to the point where the skirt atop the two internal ones was brought to the right side of the hip and sewn tightly to it and the flowers were then attached to it. It let the word see the other two layers behind it. The upper part was interesting because it seemed like a long collar shirt. The corset atop it had a sweetheart cut to add some attention to the breasts of the one who wore it but the textile was sewn so that that it continued from under the cut and went over to the neck and it's sleek shoulders. The pattern from the skirt continued from the hip straight to the start of the neck..

"So what do you think? Beautiful isn't it? I think it fits you perfectly." the man smiled and insisted for Maka to try it on. When she was in the fitting booth, after she gave up the fight when telling him she was kind of a board when the dress drew some unwanted attention to the breasts, she walked out from there and and realized that he had gone and went to get few other dresses too.

"_It doesn't fit you."_ Asura said and whispered the blunt comment under the table that had accessories on it. Maka sighed and took another dress and went back. She was still a little moody so this time it was a sea green gown. Plain one if you ask her. It had a long hem and it wasn't divided in two parts. It was cut so that it ended right above the chest and trailed along the hips until it became loose. The green dress also had a cornsilk color under skirt. It had a slight lace on top it to add some patterns to it.

"How about this?" Maka asked and stepped out from the fitting booth. The man raised his head and ceased scratching the floor but when his eyes laid on the dress, he immediately resumed to his previous action. Pouting she went back but smiled a little. Sure the day would get better.

* * *

After good few hours, Maka was already feeling better. She had chosen one gown and was currently paying for it. It had actually been the only one her hallucination had agreed to see her in since the other gowns were, too boring or didn't fit. He insisted her to use the black dress but Maka said that it was only for battle and emergency if she didn't already have a dress. She had been using pants for the past two years also quite frequently so going back to skirts made a big burden go away from her shoulders. Now no one would mistake her for a boy.

"It'll be 10 000 rubles for the gown and 1500 rubles for the other clothes." the shop assistant said and soon the cash register made a sound and Maka gave the money to the man who also gave the change back at her. Exiting the shop, they walked few meters when Maka started humming. The young meister was now wearing a poplin Tie-sleeve blouse with a dark blue short Matisse skirt. She also had one long sock (over knee) that had stripes on it and the other was a short and plain black one. She also had boots that greatly resembled her old ones, because the spartoi shoes (she liked them damn!) had a little accident with Eruka before Maka's argument with Medusa. Maka also had the gown in the paper bag the shop assistant gave her and was currently waving it back and fro.

"Do you want to crab something. I think we have few hours before I get a good beating up from someone." Maka smiled. She was referring to the real Kishin. It was a habit for her to get beaten up if she did something very, _very _reckless.

"_if you have any money left." _he answered while walking on the small wall the was on the right side of the pavement. The handy side was that her hallucination didn't need souls to get by. It wasn't really crowded, after all there were few Spring festivals coming up. There were fliers on the ground, saying circus was here and these happenings happened now and then etc. Maka squatted to pick one up, making few youngsters that were walking behind her almost fall on top of her.

"Watch it!" They shouted and walked away with nasty middle finger showing. That went completely ignored by the scythe meister. The flier must have been interesting one.

Then a piece of a wood fell to her side.

"_Raining wood?" _Asura asked and turned to look up with his creator. Maka definitely didn't expect to see a burning pile of wood coming down.

"What-" the sentence was cut short after it crashed onto a nearby building and set it in flames. People looked the fire with much shock and incredulously.

A red haired kid scrambled away from the ruins that one would've called a house before. A cap fell from the girl's face and she ran fast. Actually just past Maka so that she could slither to the dark looking alley between two shops. Wasn't that the girl that stole Maka's bread just yesterday?

"Where do you think you're going?" Maka asked, rather not nicely and grabbed her by the arm. She immediately took that Maka was an enemy and tried to fight her powerful grip off but couldn't. Maka realized her attention was divided to the building and the girl. Who the fuck had the nerve to do that.

"Let go! I need to go!" She shouted and the meister could see the panic in her young brown eyes.

"What the hell were you in there for?" Maka said and dragged her closer, when the girl started squirming and not wanting anywhere near her. Hell anyone would be surprised if a ´normal´ human could survive that with no trauma or shock.

"You don't understand! Those guys can't have this! It's not theirs!" she shouted and Maka noticed how she protected the area under the coat, right on her left breast. There was a slight glitter there and Maka knew that it was some kind of a jewelry. "Please! Let me go. Those guys can't have this so I beg you. Let go!" she said and the red hair fell onto her face, glued to its small frame because she was sweating.

"you-" Maka was cut off when there was a lighting coming off from the smoke. She quickly pushed the girl away from her and dodged by stumbling backwards a little. A scowl was now on her face. What an anti-climatic entrance. A sound of book being slammed shut was heard. Only after that she started to make some figures out of the smoke.

"Well, well. Look what we have here." Ox walked out of the smoke and he was holding Harvar in his weapon form. " the little oh so famous girl." He sneered. Maka blinked. It was that bloody boy who always wanted to defeat her in test results, and the other way around.

"Don't tell me you have forgotten me Maka?" Ox asked and stared Maka behind his glasses. She sighed and relaxed her posture. If she needed to fight, Ox would hardly prove to be difficult to defeat. Not at all. Maka was quite confident in her skills after the intense (which Medusa gave a completely new meaning) training.

"Of course I remember you Mr. Lightning bolt. What do you take me for?" Maka asked but still hadn't forgotten about the little red head who was hyperventilating because she thought Maka to be one of her attackers. Ox didn't seem to be affected by the nickname but was more than worried because her not so stiff looking figure.

"You know, when you were gone, Kid put you on the criminal list. Telling him about how you were hanging around with the Kishin and Witch queen wasn't the brightest idea but nonetheless. Of course there were few rebelling figures that were against it and I still think there are. You were a great friend Albarn. I cannot understand why you did what you did and honestly, I don't care. The main problem is..." Maka couldn't see whenever Ox was staring her or not because the glasses were shining too much. The fire on the background also made it difficult. Ox lowered his gaze and he was almost glaring. "You're setting us into far greater danger than yourself. You must know about the upcoming mission don't you?" He asked and moved Harvar swiftly over the right shoulder so that he was leaning on it.

"Of course I have. Don't take me for stupid Mr. Lighting bolt." Maka gave him a snort which was apparently the wrong move. She didn't even move but a spear, Harvar, was quickly thrown towards her but Ox didn't want to hit anything, just scare, so the spear's tip just brushed past Maka's cheek, giving her a small cut. The grin had transformed just to a small smile on her lips and the red head that was forced to stare her profile had similar thoughts in her head as few meisters and weapons on the background. ´Is she right in the head?´ they thought and slight whispers came from the inexperienced partners. They had probably came with the Spartoi duo.

"You've changed...a lot. The Maka I knew would be stumbling backwards and cursing." Ox commented. Ox gestured something and soon two pairs of partners came to the front. Other of had a knife in his hand and the other had a gigantic hammer that had something scripted on it.

"First years fighting me?" Maka asked and raised an eyebrow, trying to block the mild amusement that came through her voice. They didn't answer so she turned her head to find the red head gone. Inwardly cursing, Maka tried to see where the other had went but the only ally she had here was the hallucination that was currently playing with her hair. Asura buried his face into the free hair and inhaled.

"_Can you kill them? I don't like them." _He said but looked otherwise bored. Maka seemed to ponder the offer in her mind while the two meisters attacked. She easily and swiftly dodged the attacks when spinning to the left side of the street. When she stopped, her stagnation seemed to tick them off. Oh how inexperienced they were...

First came the boy with his knife. He most likely tried to stab her in her tight when spinning on the ground with some freaky break dance move. Maka gracefully stepped on the knife, her weight not discerned on it and kicked the boy in the face., sending him flying towards the near wall. She could hear his partner's worried voice, trying to see if he was injured or not.

"SOUL RESONANCE!" the other pair, the one with the hammer, shouted and they started glowing blue. The so familiar scream erupted from the weapon as it transformed.

Maka stood still and watched the act with dull green eyes.

Ox lunged towards her from behind and the soul resonance doing duo came from the front.

Maka side-stepped and avoided Ox's direct attack and caught the hammer by it's handle. The pair of beginners couldn't believe their eyes. Even the lighting master had difficulty understanding what was happening.

"No..No way...!" the unknown meister shouted while his partner obviously tried to strengthen their resonance, making it so that the patterns on her weapon form were glowing even brighter.

Ox clutched Harvar tighter and made a dash forwards.

"Don't underestimate me Albarn!" he shouted and pointed Harvar to go straight through her chest. Maka didn't waste her breath at all. These weaklings didn't deserve it.

"Dance with me." She said and stared the hallucination while jumping on top of Harvar and sliding off the blade. Ox splendidly stopped the attack before it reached his ally. He then heard slight sound of shoe making contact with the pavement, and turned his head.

"_Why not."_ The mad man grinned and bowed.

The next attack came from behind and forced the duo jump to the main street. There were cars and when the attack hit one of them it exploded. ´I wonder if they're aware of the destruction they're causing...?´ Maka thought. Asura quickly pulled her closer to his chest, just before a lighting attack could pierce her ear. Maka realized this and took few steps of waltz and bended her back so that she could see the other side of the town.

Ox jumped up and thrust Harvar down, being right above the bending girl. At that moment she looked surprised. Couldn't expect any less speed from the lighting master, huh?

"_Take this dear."_ the kishin whispered into her ear and slid a metal pole to her hand. At that moment Maka's magic started working. The pole was beginning to gather magic around. It was the magic of sword, making the pole a magnificent weapon.

"Shit!" Harvar cursed as he was flung against one of the poles that separated pavement from the main street. He gasped when coming to contact with it, Harvar transforming back to human.

"Ox! Are you alright?" he asked and scowled to the apathetic looking meister. ´This is troublesome and she isn't even using her wavelength...´ he thought and picked his meister up.

"You there! Attack her, now!" Harvar started shouting orders to the most experienced ones from the group. This caused Maka tom smile a smile that almost reached her ears.

"How pitiful of Shibusen to sent, _normal _students against me." Maka said and just as the hammer of the meister before was about to reach her face, she disappeared.

"What?" They shouted. "Where did she go?" the weapon asked in slight panic.

"LOOK UP YOU MORONS!" the meister of the knife shouted. Harvar raised his eyes to see what was going on. Maka had jumped into the air and was currently floating there while being upside down. Suddenly she let the gravity take affect again and was falling onto the poor young meister.

"Step aside weakling." Maka scowled at the meister. The young one watched with wide eyes as the metal pole came to contact with the right side of his head.

"Wha-" a small question left his lips but too late. The force of the blow was strong, sending him flying far away. Few drops of blood sprayed to Maka's face.

"JIMMY!" Harvar shouted and watched as the bloodied and unconscious boy was being protected by his partner. Harvar clenched his teeth together and his eyes fell back to his meister. After that they set onto the small girl who was staring back at him. Piercing emerald eyes almost forced him to look down.

"Maka why are you doing this?" Harvar asked while he frowned. "You were a great student, a great friend...why?" He looked almost pained to say it but he did. It was quiet if you didn't count the sound of flames being extinguished, townsfolk shouting orders to treat the wounded. The fire gave Maka a black shadow and crimson hair and made the few blood drops gleam brown.

"a friend...Yes I _was _your friend. I was a small, gullible and naïve. Maka Albarn who had to be perfect." She started walking towards Harvar who followed her every step with his eyes." a perfect girl who needed to impress the professors, needed to forge a death scythe better than her father, needed to see mama, needed love, needed compassion." she came to halt when being in front of her _friend._ Maka squatted and raised Harvar's head by taking a hold of his chin, forcing him to look into the emerald ice.

"Do you want to die?" the words left her lips and caused a hollow feeling to come into the lighting spear's chest. What? Was his former friend suggesting that she would kill him?

"Then..Then don't touch Ox. Don't you dare lay a finger on him you monster." Harvar spat. Actually he almost knew this would happen if they were to lose. But Ox insisted that they would win. They were almost the weakest pair in Spartoi after all. Only Kim and Jacqueline were under them. Oh the irony. A small smile crept upon his lips.

"What's so funny Mr. Lighting spear?" Maka asked and Harvar hurled her hand away from his chin.

"The funny part is that you didn't realize that this was a double attack. I think it's about time they arrive to your little base." a small chuckle left his lips while Maka's eyes widened.

"You little..." she cursed and scowled. Asura's hallucination was staring the city and the flames were already gone, leaving a pile of burnt wood and ember. He wasn't actually interested with the boy that just got his tiny life's most biggest surprise when Maka shoved them aside, successfully knocking Harvar out in the progress, when doing the act with her magic. He however payed attention to the big regret welling feeling of regret in her chest.

_´I shouldn't have left...´ _

* * *

Down and right. Left and then it went wrong. Kid was thrown against the floor from the highs of the sky in death room. Well more like a globe. A replica of death room, made from a soap bubble. Made by Shinigami because apparently he can do that.

"You naïve fool! You think the enemy's going to be as patient as me? Well think again." Shinigami shouted to his son who was struggling to get up. He looked from the sky down as Kid slowly got up but held his back.

"Father my back's going to break if you continue this wicked training of yours..." He complained with a sore face. The degeneration of the cement that the middle was made from did not help Kid's feet at all. He was without shoes after all. Without shirt so the little gashes were all visible.

"Try again!" Shinigami shouted and took the ready position.

"Fine you old-" Kid scoffed but was interrupted when a skull like electricity came forward. He looked surprised, still not used to the speed, but managed to dodge in time by jumping to the left.

´_madness activation.´_ Kid said mentally and soon his sanzu lines were ll together and his clothes were those from the book of Eibon. When he was kidnapped into it. He should really thank the great old one from them.

"Very good but I still DON'T APROVE MADNESS!" Shinigami shouted while a little tick was on his head. He dashed down onto the ground where Kid was and kicked the poor boy to his ribs, hearing a crack and sending him flying to the other side of the almost cemetery.

"Oh this is just downright cruel." Liz said while fiddling her nails. Patty nodded in silent agreement and looked as Kid was getting beaten the shit out of him. Shinigami had said that it was alright for Kid to use madness but always got extremely annoyed when Kid did and the beating up was the result. It reminded him of someone even more crueler he had said, almost definitely referring to the crazy Kishin.

It was sheer pretension that got Kid this far. Always ribs and arms broken. Liz had to sigh at the stubbornness of her meister. Like a father, like a son. That's how the saying went right?

"GAH!" Kid let out a gasp when trying to come up from the ruins of the cemetery. Something white seemed to be coming out from his mouth and his eyes had rolled to the back of his head while his father was trying to slap him awake. The gun weapon didn't know if she should help or laugh.

It was a desolated meeting as always. First there had only been Kid and Shinigami but when they had blasted through the sister's room's wall, Liz had gotten a heart attack after seeing the ´dead man´ and patty had just gaped. There. Four people in the big secret and that was it.

"We'll stop for today. I don't think he's going to wake up for the next few hours." Shinigami said and piggy bagged Kid out of the bubble, followed by Liz and Patty and then he broke the bubble. Handy powers always came to good use.

Liz had long time ago asked that when would the Shinigami announce the people of his return and got an answer; When it's needed to.

* * *

"Answer me my foolish minions of doom!" Noah shouted while standing in front of the exact arcana circle that had been drawn to the papers Justin and Giriko had and used them as transportation. That circle had been carved onto the floor now and was shining bright blue. Hell yes he was using one of the experiential labs for this kinda stuff. He needed those two idiots, not that he was enough of a kind guy to admit it. "Look if you have your channel open then come forth!" he shouted again when nothing was happening. The black magician glared the arcana circle with indifferent face but inside he was roaring. What the bloody hell were they doing. Noah stopped transmitting magic to the circle and dropped his arms to his sides.

"For the love of Eibon I can't even summon my most loyal servants any longer. And where the fuck is Gopher when one needs him?" Noah cursed and turned around in the dark room, having given up almost but then the arcana circle started glowing and Justin flew out of it.

"Bloody-" Noah began but was interrupted when Giriko jumped out from there too and landed onto the cursing monk. Apparently they had been sleeping after running away from some trolls. Trolls weren't so different from golems but they had the nasty trait to attack anyone they saw. The only problem seemed to be that they seemed to have a little cute encounter with a witch and she didn't quite like Giriko's constant shouting and cursing and so decided to change him into a ghost. Or something like that.

"What have we learned from this?" Noah frowned and glared daggers to their faces.

"We're sorry..."

the little circle of Noah's friends were all professors, heads to toes, and didn't find it suspicious or scary that one human and one ghost were now following their colleague. In fact they politically ignored them but sometimes sent awful side glances that sent shivers down Giriko's spine. Excalibur soon joined them, since Noah was already originally carrying the sleeping sword on his hip. The duo didn't however have the pleasure to meet the great old one, AKA tgoo, and Noah was partly grateful for that. They were currently standing in a big science lab.

"Now that you're here I've got a job for you to do." Noah said while serving Excalibur his tea. It seemed like the 1000 rules applied even if you weren't using him which was of course, heck of annoying.

"Does it have something to do with this?" Justin asked with seriousness and held a strange looking Pierrot in front of him.

"No. It doesn't have anything to do with pre-kishins and where the hell did you even get that?" Noah asked raising his eyebrow.

"Good. I wanted to keep and now I don't have to kill it. Everyone are such a racists-"

"Yes. Moving on now," Noah cut Justin off, "I need you search this this and this first." He said quickly and pointed the awful sketches on the chalk board. Giriko and Justin grimaced just by seeing them and before they knew, a map a compass and few bags of food were shoved into their arms and soon Noah was holding the paper that they used for transportation.

"N-Noah-san. I don't think this a very good idea." Justin stuttered.

"The motherfucker's going to throw us out? You must be kidding Shit!" Giriko shouted.

"Have a safe trip. Report me when you're ready." Noah and Excalibur waved their hands and soon the two men were gone.

* * *

Left, right, left and strike.

"Help me!" Someone shouted and until the help came, Maka cut through the one who shouted. Medusa's base was full of Shibusen's troops and the snake witch was nowhere in sight. ´don't tell me she got captured?´ Maka thought frantically. The level of the troops was mediocre so there was no real trouble and the black scythe swung up and down cutting through the walls and people. A red light came from the other side of the base and it reflected off from the black spectrolite pillars. It was followed by a big earthquake and screams and explosions. It seemed like someone managed to get Asura to fight. Well now she didn't need to worry about anything else but how to retain her stability.

"That son of-" Maka shouted and used a little of her black magic to put a curse into her scythe and whoever was cut by it, became dust. No evidence that anyone was killed and she got away. Not that Maka cared in this situation. Her magic was still weak for not being a complete witch and not even Medusa's magic could cure that.

"Prepare yourself!" Someone shouted from the sideways pillars that connected the ones that held the ceiling. Probably first years. A clang of a sword and scythe coming together and Maka jumped up, up and up. A surprised squeak and surprise filled eyes and Maka ran after that. New soldiers kept coming towards her. A strike aimed to her leg, spell users to get her to slow down. Dodging them by going on and then-

"I've got you now you traitor!" yelled a boy, running towards her. He had a short sword and after raising it, it cut few strands of hair because Maka moved just in time away from it's way by moving her head.

"Get the fuck away from here!" She yelled in rage and the black scythe she wield cut through thin air as the boy dug down and thrust the blade deep into her shoulder. Maka yelped in pain but didn't allow herself to be controlled by the pain. He scythe dissolved into air and the boy smirked. He took the blade out and was about to attack again when countless scythe's blades penetrated him.

´Wh..at?´ was the thought in his head as the blades that had appeared to protect Maka from any further damage turned back to one scythe. Maka's upper torso was slightly torn because the blades emerged from her body, but she didn't care. Instead the sharp blade was brought down to give the youngster a wound that would not heal.

Maka scooted forward and opened every single door that she could point out in the dark hallway.

"Medusa!"She shouted and tried to listen carefully if she got a reply. No such a thing came. Flames ate the wooden parts, especially the snake ornaments on the walls. By sheer luck the insides of the base were mostly rock so they didn't get burned, just a little black.. The real and serious fire was coming from the empty lab, making Maka wonder if the witch even was in the building any longer. Reaching out to the other side and jumping through a window, she arrived into the kitchen. It was empty so scooted to the next door and tried to search for anyone.

"Eruka! Mizune! Free!" a little voices escaped from the other battles that were going on on the outside of the walls.

"Would somebody be so kind..." a little tick appeared on Maka's head and she raised the scythe in her right hand "AND FUCKING ANSWER!" the wall broke from the force of the strike and suddenly many pairs of eyes were on her.

"M..Maka?" Kim stuttered as if being a little afraid. The blond could almost see Jacqueline's surprised gasp from the weapon lamp.

"Kim! Nice to see you. How are you here?" Maka asked looking puzzled. She didn't expect Shibusen to send a witch to capture one.

"How quaint." Asura commented from the rooftop. Maka turned her head before Kim had the time to respond and soon the scythe meister was lifted, quite harshly up to the Kishin by one scarf around her waist. Kim shouted Maka's name with horror. ´So she doesn't know...´ Maka thought.

She was brought face-to-face with the cranky looking demon god, clearly displeased.

"Um..I'm sorry?" Maka tried and gave him a sheepish smile but was smacked in the head. Asura glared daggers to her existence itself but didn't say a thing.

"I'm sorry I left without telling you anything, got into a fight, bought new things and so on." Maka tried again.

"I really don't care about anything else than the fact that _you _left _me. _Is such a word called ´informing´ not known to you?"

"I forgot you."

a fist was slammed into her abdomen. Maka puked some spit out and looked ill. Oh she couldn't wait what it would be like when the attack would be over. Red eyes left her for a while and scanned through the yard, trying to feel someone who could harm them. When he didn't detect anyone Asura turned once again to face Maka. The bloody torso caught his attention.

"You're hurt."

"I noticed. Now if you wouldn't mind..." Maka trailed off and bit her lip to suppress a soft groan from the slight pain. The scarf around her waist was tight and squeezing. There was a moment of silence but that only lasted for few seconds. The Kishin had raised his hand and touched the wound with his cold fingers and then with his palm. The blood had already dried but some of it got into his fingers.

"Let Maka go!" Kim shouted and flied to the front of Asura and cut the scarf holding her with her magic. This of course, wasn't the most bright idea since...

"Attention! I am currently falling to my death!" Maka shouted panicking. Kim shot a curse and tried to reach for her friend, however...

"I got her!" Sid shouted from below and Maka fell straight to the Zombie's arms. It was a haphazard position having one of Maka's leg caught, other just sagged almost touching the ground. The young scythe meister's elbow was buried to Sid's face and she looked like having hard time holding the balance and not fall.

"That was too close for my liking professor." Maka shot the purple man a sarcastic reply. Until she knew, she was surrounded by Shibusen's troops.

"Maka Albarn you're hereby under arrest for being part of a treason. You're to come with us quietly or then we'll drag you back." Sid was able to say and his hold tightened around Maka who shot him a quick glance. She kicked the man with her knee right to the left side of the head and was released.

"Hell no. Can't you see how much fun I'm having here?" She said. Asura eyed the happenings and decided to descend back to earth. The flames were already nonexistent and there was nothing left to burn so wind took few burning papers with it. Shibusen's troops immediately stiffened when the demon god waled towards them, well not them but the girl, and shot them a glare with the fierce red eyes.

"I have a message for you." Asura said when he had dragged Maka away from all the commotion.

"What? Jealous about Professor huh?" Maka shot him a smile filled with mirth and black humor. Asura cleared his throat and began,

"_I thought about informing you that we would leave this place in few days but it became a pain. I hope you survive with Mr. Kishin and you two won't kill each other. Otherwise I have nothing else to teach you so I'm throwing you out. If you ever want to consider coming for tea you might want to visit me once in a while."_

Maka looked flabbergasted. Her round and big eyes stared Asura as if he had grown another head (not that it would've been really weird...) Finally she stuttered, "What?"

the silence continued but then our great lord of eyes decided to speak.

"What do you mean ´what´? I clearly stated the same sentences that the witch told me to tell you." Asura barked whilst being annoyed. Maka was silent.

"THAT BASTARD!" Maka crushed the ground with her black scythe and shouted at the top of her lungs, scaring the first years, making everyone hold their ears and having her pigtails go up in rage and few ticks appearing on her head. "THAT FUCKING LITTLE PIECE OF A *****! I SWEAR IF I EVER SEE HER AGAIN I'M GOING TO ***** ****!" Maka breathed heavily and she was like bull seeing red. Asura looked her with utter boredom in his face, having forgotten the thing about the wounds already. Clearly she was okay so they weren't life threatening at least-

"Bugeh!" Maka spit blood.

"God dammit you opened your wounds. How useless are you?" Asura said while trying to get the girl calm down.

"Stop telling me I'm useless. I can do lots of things that you can't!" Maka shouted dryly. Another fit of blood trailed along her chin.

"Like what?" the Kishin's expression was that of Kid's when the son of Shinigami attacked Noah when being freed from the book of Eibon. Total non-trusting face. The rest of the people that were there stared the play with hazy eyes as if watching a cheap comedy film. It looked like they had been enlightened about the meaning of " relationship". After the nagging and constant bitching Maka, accidentally of course, blew part of the wall with her little magic. That resorted a crumbling rocks coming down and from there they hit Shibusen's troops.

Maka let her wings out, only being visible to those who saw souls and hovered above the crashing building. The little wind made her airy poplin Tie-sleeve blouse flutter and the gash was clearly visible. Small parts of her little to nonexistent chest were shown to those who squinted hard enough but only little of that milky white skin was visible because of the blood.

Kim was torn between her allies and one friend. Maka looked them with such a cold and glacier like eyes. They poured the freeze into one's soul and made the poor pink haired girl unable to move.

She was scared of Maka.

"What is she...?" Jacqueline mumbled from her weapon form. The demon god seemed to ignore her existence and for that, Kim was slightly ashamed to say that she was glad. The fight restarted and Medusa's very few servants started attacking Shibusen's own troops and vice versa. Maka didn't activate the black blood dress, mainly because she thought the level of the enemy was too low for that.

The Shibusen's side seemed to have a strategy unlike the other, and had surrounded Medusa's little fighters and drew them to the corner. This didn't seem to stop Maka from attacking them however.

"SOUL RESONANCE!" the pigtailed girl shouted. Oh how long had it been since she had last time resonated with herself. A tingling feeling of electricity passed through her whole body and the black blade grew in size and started to change to white. Not rainbow colored like it was when two souls resonated but a blinding white. Everyone had to hide their eyes or close them in the whiteness and soon the first scream erupted. "Witch hunter." Maka finished the name of the attack. The blade sank to the ground and she slashed through the dirt, sending almost like a flashing sonic wave towards the enemy troops. They weren't skilled enough to use the opportunity to attack when Maka had drawn the blade from the ground and creating a big opening for herself, but who had the chance to?

"Professor we're losing!" someone shouted to Sid. The zombie turned to look all the bleeding partners and the ones Kishin trashed around. It was still beyond him that how could anyone move so gracefully and not make a single sound and stepping to the ground.

´He isn't called warlord for nothing but...´ Sid thought and foraged his back pocket and took out a piece of paper, about the same size Noah's little connection paper is, but this one didn't have any scripture on it. It had a simple skull mask and words written with scrappy handwriting that said, DEATH.

Medusa's servants were already retreating. They flew to the forest and Maka followed them.

´I wanna take a bath...´ she thought quietly ran away, trying to avoid the trees when she saw something that would stay in her head for quite a while. Sid held a paper right above his head, Asura accidentally slipped and fell to the ground. The familiar sound and transporting was almost ringing in her ears and fear crept its way to her soul and heart.

For a moment the Kishin turned his head and looked appraising as he was forced to stand up.

´No! Not him!´ Maka panicked and did a violent turn and started racing to the scene. Her heartbeat went erratic. ´I'll make it! I have to make it! Please...´

Kim stepped in front of her and shouted, "Please Maka! Don't save him!" and raised the lamp weapon. Maka gently stepped on Jacqueline and ran towards him. She only saw the man that had become extremely precious to her.

´I have to make it!´ her face showed absolute despair. What if they caught him! Shinigami-sama would kill the low demon god for even existing. Few tears started to slip. What would she do then when he was...dead. A shock radiated from the red eyes as Maka came closer and closer. Asura extended his hand and Maka extended hers, as if trying to push him away from the zombie and the paper but succeeded in only grabbing the pale hand. Sid brought the transportation paper down to Asura's chest and soon a loud crack was heard.

They were both gone.

* * *

A/N: JIMMY! I must say..._ it took hell long to finish this..._And one very happy news for you readers! Sideways has gotten a beta, Otherguy14! He'll check the chapters from now on and grammar and spelling will get better so you'll have even more enjoyable reading moments!

**When someone asked me that she/he would like to see some battling scenes with Soul and Gopher, Don't worry. There are going to be those . I had originally planned for them to appear in the next chapter anyway.**

By the way when I created and OC and gave it a name, my friend said that our country had a helicopter that had my characters name. Today we were walking to our own place where we spend our school breaks, we saw a truck that had a advert printed on it that was about yoghurt but then my friend spotted something very disturbing when she looked who was the truck. We(the Finnish people) usually name them like: strawberry, vanilla guy etc...but this time she laughed her ass off and begged me to look. It said with big fonts: SIDEWAYS.

…..I'm annoyed. WHY! FIRST A HELICOPTER, NOW A TRUCK!

Please Review and thanks for reading!

**MERRY CHRISTMAS! _And just as a small hint but reviews would make a marvelous Christmas present for me :)_**


	24. Like a willow in wind

**Beta: Otherguy14**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

Normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks __or then just this._

_It crumbles away,_

_Like a piece of ginger,_

_Like the sky above the houses._

_The village was silent and deep blue,_

_It basked in shade._

_It crumbles away like the fountain that serves as a substrate for the beech._

Chapter 24. Like a willow in wind

Flashback:

_Maka was unconscious when she was dragged into the death room. Shinigami-sama was there to see her current state and when he dismissed the guards saying there was nothing she could do to him, they left. After the door had closed Shinigami-sama waved his hand in lazy movement and soon the unconscious girl that already had her hands behind her back in handcuffs, was tied up by Shinigami's electricity, knowing that power suppressing ropes or shackles didn't work when the girl could use magic as well._

_´Causing me troubles...´ Shinigami placed the mask in place again. He hid his own body with the black cloak well enough to not see what kind of a body he had. Maka was starting to stir too._

"_Mm..."_

"_Wake up Maka." Shinigami encouraged her and soon his wishes were complied and the girl opened her eyes. The first image she saw was a little blurry and she eyes around, not being familiar with her surroundings. "Where am I?"_

"_Don't tell me you have forgotten death room already? Surely you couldn't have had that much fun with the witches?" Shinigami asked being more than enough surprised. Only now Maka realized who she was with._

"_Shinigami-sama!" she exclaimed too loud and caused the older man to shield his ears. She was surprised and much more terrified of what would happen now that she was caught and even more important question raced in her head; where was Asura?_

"_Yes child but please refrain from shouting Maka-chan." He recovered pretty quickly. The surprised face quickly turned into a frown and caused another surprise. The older man could see it in her eyes that she wasn't as surprised as one should be when he had ´just returned from the dead´._

"_You aren't very surprised to see me. Why is that?" He asked and looked down at her growling form. Well look at that. It looked like she didn't trust him. Well she saw how horrible he could be when he perished so that much was expected._

"_I just happen to know." Maka spat and tried to seem strong but in truth, she was cowering from fear inside. It felt so amazingly nostalgic that she almost was glad that she could feel fear. She wanted to ask about the whereabouts of the Kishin but doubted that Shinigami would tell her after being a little ´bad girl´..._

_The said man sighed quite loudly after the answer. "Now Maka-chan...I don't want to do this kind of prison treatment towards you but I'm not sure you're capable of civilized conversation. How about it? I promise I won't try to hurt you." He squatted and raised his right hand up like mimicking oath. Maka eyed him suspiciously but nodded in the end even though a bit reluctant._

"_Good! Well let's get those off." Shinigami snapped his fingers together and the black electricity disappeared, making Maka able to stand up. Having said that, she immediately jumped up but regretted it because her coming headache started with killing blow and it felt like her head was being split. Maka, gritting her teeth and grimacing stuttered a little but didn't run off anywhere._

"_What do you want from me?" she finally asked after taking a deep breath._

"_Nothing really I just-"_

"_Take the mask off." Maka suddenly ordered ignoring the growing headache. Man Noah's portals were much more comfortable. Shinigami stared her awhile._

"_You're not going to run away after seeing are you?" He asked being a little insecure about the outcome._

"_Trust me. I've seen far worse things by now." Maka answered. It was weird how she could converse with mighty people just like that. With Mabaa, Medusa, Asura and now even Shinigami-sama. Not that speaking normally to this man wasn't already carved deep into her skull. Being this guy's student for almost 3 years took its prize. Her sailor vocabulary...she still misses it._

_After taking the mask off and Maka was once again being able to see that, kinda like, handsome face he gestured them to go sit to the round table in front of the giant mirror._

"_Want some Coffee?"_

"_No."_

_Shinigami laughed a little, his long black hair touching the ground with the cloak. "Well the truth is I need to lock you up for a while. You see it would be very unfair for you to get special treatment and now one question, Where's Spirit?" Shinigami said but the last part was asked somehow reluctantly. Maybe he didn't even want to know._

"_Flirting with witches." was all the reply he needed. Well it was true wasn't it? Well maybe not so much but still...Being witches' prisoner was ´kinda like´ flirting with them._

"_I guessed something like that. I got few missions for you when you come out of detention." Shinigami smiled sweetly, clearly treating Maka like a brat. Maka's eyes widened._

"_Wait a second Shinigami-sama! I won't do any missions. In fact why the hell are you even keeping me here? WHERE'S ASURA!" Maka bawled and stood up. She couldn't believe how she had forgotten about him for a moment._

"_Ah sit down dear girl. Now that's a lot of questions." Shinigami raised his hand up while drinking the coffee and then grimacing. What did Sid say about this being good coffee again?_

"_Where is he!" Maka shouted again and her breathing was a little ragged. The man watched her behind the locks that had ascended onto his face before brushing them behind his ear. He took the cup away from his lips and said the next sentence which shocked Maka greatly._

"_What Kishin?"_

_It was silent. Very silent but the dimension seemed content with its master being present. For Maka's heart almost stopped._

_´wh...What ´ her mind couldn't quite process the words or their meaning. She opened her mouth and the words came out awfully weak and it was stuttering._

"_Wh...What do you mean by that?"_

_The man smiled, content how he had shaken the poor girl. "Maka A__lbarn was Shibusen's meister but unfortunately she and her weapon were __kidnapped__ and therefore have been missing for two years. One day Spartoi's troops found Maka near witch's laboratory and rescued her without further ado and today she confessed that she__ ran to the witches __under a spell__ and practiced her unknown weapon abilities. She also says that she wants to come back home."_

_Maka was dumfounded._

_She was utterly in shock and couldn't even answer. She just stared the man like he had grown another head or something._

"_Nice clothes by the way." He added and clapped his hands. Immediately two guards came and picked her up but this time she wasn't going. Maka wriggled out of their hands and ran towards Shinigami. She was just about to pierce the man's head with a scythe when the two men behind her used some power suppressing seals and ropes and she was on the ground, defeated and utterly non-believing._

"_I don't believe you! He's alive and I'll find him!" Maka shouted when she was toted up and dragged away from the black man. "JUST YOU WAIT! I'LL FIND HIM!"_

* * *

Two tired looking figures rested their back against the park's bench. It was a nice normal white bench that had been recently varnished. Too bad Gopher didn't think twice when sitting on it.

"No! My new pants!" He shouted and quickly jumped from the bench.

"They are the same damn pants you've been wearing since I met you. Freaking out because of this is not cool man." Soul lectured him though he was no better.

"Keep telling that to yourself. Your Spartoi coat is in varnish too." Gopher scoffed and pointed Soul's white jacket that's back side was clearly in varnish.

"Shit! My new coat!" Soul shouted to the bench and Gopher crossed his arms. Their meister-weapon relationship was awfully good (though he got to thank Maka for that since if she hadn't had Grigori soul then they would have been royally screwed.)

Some of you might wonder where these two are…

Death City was as beautiful and lively as ever. Gopher and Soul had managed to get off that bloody island that had a lot of volcanic eruptions and come back to Nevada and even better, walk through the desert to Death city. Now they both were very tired after that and Soul decided to inform Kid that he had returned with one unwelcomed pest and after that ask that maybe they could go and search Gopher's precious _master, _or Noah-sama as the Spanish boy liked to refer the fake magician. What they absolutely and in all mighty and cool God's name did not expect to find was Shinigami-sama trashing Kid around and complaining about the coffee and acting like he used to and that the kinda momentous event that was called death was canceled.

Let's go, we have to report back." Soul said after getting most of the varnish off. Gopher looked just as annoyed as he had when they had arrived to Death City.

"I don't like these meetingswe go into. Actually I don't like the one running them neither." the Spanish boy spat and started walking towards the stalls Soul hot on his heels.

"Gopher wait!" Soul called out and grabbed his left arm successfully stopping Gopher and turning him to look Soul in the face. "Look you might dislike him yes, but bear with it. This is our chance to find your…Noah." Soul sighed at the end. He liked to think Shinigami-sama would offer some kind of a therapy for the Spanish boy to his never ending Noah adoration. He could it in his mind eye, Noah laughing and being a giant in front of small Gopher whose eyes sparkled, ignoring the devil side of the fake Eibon.

Out of the crowd who obviously ignored the two teens, emerged Jacqueline. She stumbled a bit at the end because someone shoved her out of the way. The girl grimaced at Gopher but finally clapped her hands together to get their undivided attention. It worked since both of them turned their heads towards her.

"Now before you say anything, we got a group mission at the alps. And Soul we can arrange you another meister…" Jack started to drift off again and glared daggers at Gopher who simply returned them at full force. Soul noticed this but still kept listening to the brown head's explanation.

"We just got back from a mission so-"

"Let's go Evans!" Gopher cut Soul off and grabbed Soul's arm and dragged him to the direction of Shibusen. His face was one of ire and Soul slapped himself mentally for not noticing this. Jacqueline simply raised her nose high up in the air and walked away after snorting.

* * *

Maka was taken right back to her old apartment. They said it had remained empty but they had kept it clean. Maka didn't know whenever to be grateful or just pissed that they dared to touch her things.

Blair hadn't moved out it seems so she could run into her pet at any time a day.

"You refilled the refrigerator too?" Maka asked after peaking in the electric device. It was creepy and amazing that they knew she would come back.

"Not us. When we told the cat woman you were coming she went out shopping and got these things for you." Sid answered. The fact that Blair hadn't abandoned her warmed Maka's heart and she made sure to thank the cat later.

After the zombie had exited himself, Maka went to shower herself. Hey no need to feel stressed even if you're in ho-…enemy territory.

´Why hasn't anything changed at all…" Maka leaned her head against the tiles on the wall and let the shower wet her whole body. She quickly washed herself and stepped out from the shower and letting the water wet the floor.

Blair stepped into the apartment, but first she didn't notice anything weird. When she went over to the bathroom after taking off her jacket and abandoning all the paper cases that had presents on to the floor, Maka was there in her underpants trying to comb her hair.

"Maka-chan, you really came back!" Blair cried out in happiness and hugged her friend and keeper. Maka was about to suffocate from the lack of oxygen that Blair's breasts suspended. It was also pretty embarrassing because she was only wearing her underwear.

"B-Blair it hurts…"

"Sorry, I got carried away." Blair hit herself playfully and escorted the girl out of the bathroom. She made food from fish and tried to get Maka to eat unsuccessfully.

"I'm not hungry." She offered the worried cat a sheepish smile and watched her eat.

"So how's Soul doing?" Blair asked while trying to get the heavy atmosphere away. Maka's eyes widened a bit for the most unwanted and clearly surprising question. The girl realized then how little she had thought of Soul during her stay with Medusa, Asura, and Mabaa. Clearly she had even forgotten how she swore to rescue him. She had even forgotten the color of the hair band Soul had on that day although that was no surprise at all. The kind albino weapon's picture in her head was so transparent, so white, so…forgotten.

"Oh god…"Maka covered her mouth with her hand and stared the table in shock

"Hm? Maga uhat's…uong?" Blair asked while her mouth was full of food but quickly swallowed.

"I…I don't know. I don't know how Soul is or where he is or what's he doing or if he's…dead?" Maka whispered. The weird thing and the most shocking thing to her was that she only panicked a little. No tears or something else but a panic for her friend. Blair looked her with worried expression and her now empty mouth was slightly open.

"I-I think I need to sleep…" Maka said and offered the cat an apologetic smile and wandered off to her room.

It was the same room as it had been 3 years ago. Everything was where she had left them. It was…frightening.

After checking Soul's room too, she was shocked. Everything was the bloody same as 3 years ago. Why? Why had they not moved anything, put them inside bags to cover the toys and books, the bookcases still filled with her favorite book, all the things but not a single layer of dust. Even her bed was the same as she left it like.

It was like she had never left this place.

Maka's soul trembled and she backed off against the closed door and slid down. Why was it so that nothing had changed? Did they simply just ignore her rebellious nature as a side effect of something? Did they know she had helped Asura and didn't care? Had Shibusen really become such a organization that accepted anyone in their ranks and was willing to forgive betrayals? No! That wasn't justice that was wrong! By all right means and by the old law that still worked when Maka had studied here, she should be in prison, in dungeon awaiting her punishment and the fact that she wasn't bothered her.

"Where are you Asura…" Maka whispered and closed her eyes and relaxed her rigid body.

* * *

White garden furniture which was made of the toughest iron and could not be lifted with simple power was put under a small tangerine tree. Tree's shade protected the furniture from the sun and then heaven but it should never be any mention since there was no sun. Never would be.  
An elegant hand raised a cup of tea and sipped a little of the hot black tea. In one hand she held a saucer which was also quite white in color, just like the cup but the edge was coated with gold. Iron chair was turned away from the table so that occupant would get to see the endless dull view.

Maka thought.

Her dirty clothes that she had in real world were being replaced by the black blood. Black dress had somehow elegantly, surely unintentionally, descended to the ground but small legs and black shoes were clearly visible because the hem was not covering the legs. Maka put a cup of tea back on top of the garden table and began to cut the brown cake. But perhaps there was not as boring as you might think. At least it was a lot more comfortable than in reality. Maka created the needing look of an eye across the table to the chair which was also turned so that the other occupant was to look the endless meadows, but the chair remained empty. It had remained empty for a long time and when you do not have much else to do, Maka did not bother to make a face a few times when entering her _own _mind to think; where was the hallucination?

Maybe Asura's wretch had again found something to do and had not wanted to inform the girl, even though it was certainly out of thoughtfulness. While he certainly knew what Maka _and _Black wanted to do and with whom, Asura remained hidden, doing his own pranks which would certainly bear consequences for long time.

A small smile crept on Maka's face when she tasted the cake. In fact, even though the Maka's mind was not anything more than a meadow, and at some point had probably started to grow bookcases (meaning that the girl had begun to learn the same information that Black already knew, but she still praised the real Maka) had catering service. Think food or furniture and they will come. On the other hand, it was certainly only for the world's inland residents. If you thought them outside they would not appear here, in the dream scape. After a short while a little degeneration happened in the air and Asura stepped outside of it.

"Where in the world have you been?" Maka asked, and sipped her tea again. The girl looked at the hallucination that offered a small smile and walked to his rightful place, to the other chair across the table. After he sat down, the hallucination's cup filled with tea and dish appeared on top of his saucer and it was a French pastry. On top of the same table a serving plate appeared and was loaded with pastries from all countries.

"I have been here and there. You should ask them to give you at least a normal room perhaps? I haven't met anyone who can remain sane in that kind of place where you are currently." Asura said and bit his own pastry in a very ungraceful manner and loaded a big piece of it in his mouth at once. After he had swallowed, the hallucination licked his fingers and took his own tea cup. Maka snorted and continued to drink.

"Where am _I _currently if you are somewhere?"

"I don't know. Do you want _her_ to take control and save us?" Asura laughed scornfully. In fact, Maka, neither one, would not leave without the Kishin. It seemed that the hallucination had been wandering around Shibusen's deepest dungeons trying to figure out the map and find someone who could help them.

"Look at the sky." Maka said, and stared at the contents of her cup just as it had been the only thing in the world. Asura raised his head and stared. A hurtful look was present in those ruby red eyes.

"Is it familiar?" Maka said, and looked it herself. Green emeralds looked behind the forelock and it created a double shadow on her face.  
It was not a pretty sight when the distant meadows were being offered black blood from the heaven. A tear and the black blood leaked onto the ground which had the red electricity joined in. It was absolutely awful sight.

"No, you should-"

But suddenly little giggle escaped from her lips. "It had to be done. As you can see, my work has been done. This world should be destroyed in about two days. Then we'll see whether my user, the girl will become loony with no brains or my equal." Black cut Asura's sentence and grimaced at her cup. She poured the contents of the cup to the lawn. Asura's eyes gleamed in the shade and it was a majestic sight as he watched his _friend._

"I do not like it when you tear up this world. It's hard to reconstruct it..." Hallucination said with something like concern but his body didn't show any signs of anxiety. "Worlds are born and die in their own pace. You shouldn't meddle with that. Just as that world held its mid-term... Do you remember the forest?" Asura asked and drank the last drops of tea.

"I REMEMBER!" Black shouted immediately and used the iron chair as a stool and stepped onto the garden table, making all the pastries either smash under her heels or fall to the ground. "I remember because I was already born then! I have always been born! You remember me from the beginning don't you? You do because I existed before you did!" Black laughed but Asura just stared. It almost looked like he accepted the role of being the prey in the eyes of predator. A hand grabbed his scarves on the front and dragged the hallucination face-to-face with Maka.

"...and that's why you won't leave or desert me. You're mine till the end of the world, both of you." Maka's will had thrown her insanity aside and she looked into those dull red eyes as they were now. They were so close. So close that their noses almost brushed together but neither seemed to think that of any importance.

"That's not important right now." Asura suddenly broke their quiet moment and it made black produce a slightly discontent sound. "Are you going to get us out? If you don't there's no telling what'll happen to us."

Black was quiet for a while then she snorted. Her head dropped down to look the metal and grass under it. The hallucination was worried a bit. Never had he seen this kind of a behavior with black and that's why the next sentence caught him off guard.

"I'm dying…"

Asura strained his ears, being quite dumbfounded. "What?" he asked but when the materialization of Maka's insanity raised its head, the man didn't know how it was possible for a evil to produce a face like that.

"I don't want to die…I want to live." Black cried and buried her face to her palms and sobbed. Never had the girl cried, never had she shown weakness up until now.

Asura didn't know whose worry it was that welled in his chest.

* * *

The next morning Maka opened her eyes and found herself in a familiar bed. She quickly shot up and narrowed her eyes at her surroundings. Blair must've carried her to her bed then…

"I'm seriously too paranoid for my own good…" Maka whispered and got up. From the opened windows (who in the world had opened them anyway?) a cold rain poured in. Maka was surprised she hadn't caught a cold because the room was damp with wet floor. She sighed, went to the window and was just about to close it when a sight she never thought would see appeared in front of her.

"I told you this was a bad idea!" Gopher shouted angrily and marched forward to keep the same pace as Soul who was clearly pissed off. Maka couldn't help the widening of her eyes and her mouth hanging open. The feeling, the _need_ to shout something at the Albino made vocals and vowels rise in her throat but stopped abruptly when Soul turned. He was smirking.

"You know this mission is good for both of us. I can't wait to see when you meet your fake magician." Soul scoffed and Gopher turned red as the insulting words reached his ears.

"Noah-sama is not fake!"

"He is." Soul quarreled and a fight started. Gopher was about to run away again, slight tears in his eyes but Maka swore they were more from frustration and losing the fight than something…nasty.

The scene of Soul grabbing Gopher, dragging him against the Albino and hugging him was something Maka never expected…her weapon to do. But watching the two as Soul muttered few apologies and released Gopher who had now pink cheeks from something else than his Noah-sama, Maka realized one thing. The vocals and vowels fell down her throat and nothing but incoherent whispers came out. She understood that clear moment that her partner, the one she had made a death scythe was…no longer hers. She could see the content feeling in Soul's eyes as he eyed the Spanish boy.

Maka rested her head on her arm as she leaned on the window sill. She watched the scene unfold more and more. The boys didn't look like they minded getting wet since they stood in the rain without any umbrellas. The clouds were slowly going away after few minutes and Maka still wondered how she didn't catch cold. The observing eyes that seemed to spark with interest and relief at the same time shone bright emerald as sun hit them when the clouds moved away. Gopher shielded his eyes from the sunshine that came suddenly without warning. The as annoying and laughing sun as he liked to refer it was now high up the sky.

* * *

**I'm a little bit late with this chapter….**

**So Maka got over her depression and saw that her ex-partner was alright. Well how do you react to that hah! If some of you noticed, I'm starting to revise Asura and Maka's roles. They are pretty to closely- *beep*. (Damn that was a spoiler…)**

**I take back what I said about Harry potter ****fics few chapters ago. There are good ones out there, you just have to search for them.**

**R&R**


	25. The sleeping fear and Star

**Beta: Otherguy14**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

Normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks __or then just this._

Chapter 25. The sleeping fear and Star.

"_He looked so calm and peaceful yet he didn't wake up."_

Maka had once again started adjusting to her usual routine. Wake up, brush teeth, make breakfast and one addition, avoid Spartoi members.

It had started few days ago when they were _supposed _to have a meeting to discuss about some attack towards witches and now that Kilik's pots were almost death scythes, conversing about the potential soon-to-be Kishin's since pot of fire needed only 5 pre-kishin souls more and pot of thunder only 2. Well Maka hadn't been so happy to converse about someone else's weapons and frankly she hadn't even been interested in the whole ordeal so she decided to skip that whole meeting and went to search for Asura. Shibusen hadn't changed almost at all, explanation to this was that Shinigami loved things simple and wasn't nearly as much for the change as his son was. All the classrooms didn't have secret passages and neither did the halls. The more suspicious looking doors, especially those that had '_STORAGE'_-sign on them had Maka's interest almost immediately peaked and she probably would've continued her little inspection if it hadn't been for the sole fact that she was caught. And what a way it was; Maka between a big closet and wall while Sid kept staring at her like she was mad.

"Maka I'm pretty sure there is nothing else than dirt, dust and poodles in the storages and maybe few naughty magazines but they definitely, and I say this 100% certainty, do not contain one particular Kishin." Shinigami-sama chuckled while drinking his tea. Correction to that ´Death-city-has-not-suffered-changes' part. Shinigami had started drinking tea since instant coffee reputedly was bad for his already cracked mask.

Maka looked down at the god and seemed to be glaring holes to the table. Sid had actually dared to dump her here of all places. Why couldn't it have been a nice park, or a classroom, or her apartment, or...anything else than this.

"I don't think I've told you but Soul's here. The surprising part in that is that he's with Gopher. Literally."

"I know."

"Why didn't you go to the meeting?" Shinigami-sama raised his gaze from the cup and stared Maka with his yellow eyes. One thing that Maka was grateful for this bastard was that he didn't wear his disguise around her any longer. Said that it was meaningless since she had already seen him. The change of topic was sudden but not surprising and Maka didn't deem it worthy answering. Instead she strode right towards the many metal grave posts and walked off to the nowhere.

"Fickle thing that fame..." Shinigami hummed and put his cup down.

So after that encounter, Maka had seriously decided that she should avoid everything here in Death City that had sailors' clothing or a skull mask. Instead she spent her days wandering in the alleys and walking on the streets. Once in a while she felt a pair of eyes on her back but couldn't really pin point who it was. She had practically met all the witches in death city, mainly consisting of Blair's working mates but also even the ones working beyond the surface. The older witches that did black magic were more than happy to hear that one girl had once again decided to learn magic even though she wasn't a witch. They also commented about her mother and said she had magic but Maka shoved the words to the back of her head as unimportant things.

Maka knew she had better things to do than chat around with the witches but she just couldn't resist the temptation when they offered her a stack of books and said they were advanced prism magic that still lingered on the magic of swords.

"They also have some locator magic in them I suggest you read them carefully." a witch that resembled a scorpion said while smoking something from a bottle with a long pipe. Maka coughed a little and politely excused herself but of course she didn't abandon the books.

She was hopeful in finding her...companion? Well anyways Maka knew that if the city wasn't being devoured by madness, something must be suppressing it. She also used the books about souls that told the basics that every student in Shibusen should know (shame only about 30% studied seriously) but it also brought up a new fact that she hadn't been aware of but should have been.

"Strong wavelengths can be used to hide other wavelengths..." Maka read out loud while leaning against her bed, next to her was a fine stack of books in different thickness levels and colors.

Of course! How could have she been so blind. Shinigami must be using his wavelength to seal Asura's own from overall use. But how could he be doing that when he didn't have his death scythe or anything to back up himself...?

Asura's wavelength had built up for over 800 years and the time his sealing was undone that wavelength didn't abruptly just explode and destroy the minds of people in a moment but then too Shinigami couldn't seal all of his wavelength away and it leaked and caused madness to develop in the world. That fact meant that Asura held incredible control over his wavelength but sometimes it leaked but that wasn't something she should be worried about. A meister as skilled as Asura should be able to send little of his madness beyond whatever barrier Shinigami was using on him and communicate with Maka.

Maka rubbed her chin and frowned.

If that was the case then Shinigami shouldn't be able to just erase Asura's god level wavelength right off the bat. He would have to use his own soul and wear it off or...Asura should be willingly suppressing his own energy for quite a while.

Maka's eyes widened at the though of Kishin not wanting to be found. Her grip on the book tightened and she glared the pages. The words she read were being read all over again in her head as knowledge was going into her brain.

"_Witches...magic suppressing memories...human souls...rituals of magic...soul magic...resonate...meister and weapon...Arachne...first weapon...levels of soul barriers...soul eating...sealing methods...turn to page 590 to see Ouroboros..." _Maka closed to book with a loud thud and put it on her left side and took another book from the other pile. She sighed loudly after reading the first chapter of the book.

How could she cancel Shinigami's wavelength when Asura didn't want to be found and her own wavelength didn't even match to Kid's own not to even mention about the father. Maka could have gone on and on when thinking about the possibilities of how she would be humiliated in front of the death but a familiar voice from the lobby cut her train of thoughts.

"Blair are you home?" Soul shouted and started taking his shoes off. When there was no answer he just let himself in and went over to the fridge. Milk, milk, milk and sardines. That was all the fridge had inside and Soul just couldn't ignore the rumbling sound from his stomach so he took one bottle of milk and a pack of sardines.

"Evans you better offer me bed this time! A proper one since I don't fancy sleeping in hovels or on the floor like last time." Gopher shivered at the memory of the last mission where they only didn't find Noah, but had to sleep in a freaking hovel too! And the hays were slightly wet too...

"Come in, come in. I hope you like sardines and milk cuz' we don't have anything else." Soul said nonchalantly, ignoring Gopher's rant completely. The Spanish boy looked offended but only snorted and took his shoes off. He left them in the same lump that Soul had thrown his shoes and wandered over to the hall that had the doorway to the kitchen but no door.

"That cat woman really has cleaned here since we left? I can see some dust everywhere." Gopher complained again. "I would never be this inconsiderate towards my Noah-sama!"

"Maybe Blair doesn't worship you like you do that guy." Soul replied and started opening the sardine pack with a can opener, his Spartoi jacket lying on top of the kitchen chair so that it wouldn't get dirty."Maybe she enjoys the little dust over everything? She lived as a witch before Maka and I found her and took her soul." Soul answered and cursed when a little of the oil inside the sardine pack splattered over to his white t-shirt, hands and face. A little of it also fell on to the ground.

"Maybe. Why isn't she dead yet?" Gopher asked and peeked his head, making the black curls fall slightly down, from the doorway to watch the albino do work. The Spanish boy was swaying on his feet as he was bored and his eyes fell on top of the old looking drawer that had a pair of white gloves on it. Next to them was a lamp and the land line phone that usually ran if they were needed. He also took a note of the changed tapestries that were now sick green. When they had left they were still blue. The boy guessed Blair must have ad changed them for mood change and wasn't too bothered by it except by the green. He frowned as he stared the innocent green tapestry that reminded him too much of one girl that he would rather forget.

"Evans I want to sleep. Lend me your room for few hours."

"Just barge in there like you always do..." Soul sighed and started remembering the times Gopher used to wake him up. He had cleaned the mess of sardines and was drinking milk. Gopher didn't respond any longer so Soul guessed he had gone off to his room and fallen asleep. Soul contemplated the idea of scaring Gopher by going to the same bed (well it was Soul's originally) but then decided that he would use Maka's bed as usual. This was the third time he had been here with Gopher and he had to say the boy adjusted well into the new change of scenery. The boy would sleep in his room and Soul would sleep on the floor or on the couch. Rarely Gopher let him use the bed with him and Soul didn't want to sleep on the floor or on the couch today.

´So that leaves Maka's room huh?" Soul asked himself mentally and walked out of the kitchen to the hallway. His eyes too landed on the white gloves that lay on the drawer and he frowned. What were those doing there?

The hallway was not lit and the sunshine reached the darkness only a little, adding light onto the place Soul stood. Soul smirked as he remembered the good old times and was about to take another sip from the milk when he turned.

His eyes widened and silence was there and he dropped the milk bottle as the never-going-out fire in those fierce emerald eyes one scythe meister possessed was now burning him.

A lump of white in the darkness that was painted Grey and those unmistakable emerald eyes.

Maka stared right into Soul's wide red eyes as the milk continued to take more floor under it. The weapon didn't seem to care at all that the milk was already wetting his socks but all of his attention was focused on his partner. His former partner who he thought dead.

"Maka?" Soul started incredulously and walked forward as if to confirm he wasn't going mad. "What are you doing here?"

The question seemed to catch them both off guard since that was definitely not the first thing Soul wanted to say, not at all.

"Why am I here? Soul this is my home as much as it's yours." Maka answered with a firm voice that seemed to make Soul stop advancing. They were the two opposites, light and dark. Smart and hooligan. They had been partners but...

"Step back." Maka said and lowered her gaze to the split milk. Soul watched in complete fascination as the emerald eyes gleamed fiercely even though being slightly closed only, as if she was tired but if anyone could see that fire in her eyes, they wouldn't say so.

Soul felt weird tingling under his foot and looked down to see the floor was absorbing the milk and his wet sock was the only evidence anymore that something had happened. The milk glass was in his hands now. Maka sighed as the process stopped and walked closer to embrace her former partner.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Maka sighed and buried her head on the crooks of Soul's neck. The boy himself remained frozen. Maybe it was because the sardines and the glass he was holding.

"You...Why in the world did you come back? You aren't welcome here!" Soul tried to shout but only a whimper came out. What would he do now that he had seen her. Should he tell Shinigami-sama and say that, ´Hey, I just met Maka and she's currently living in my apartment so you can come and get her to behead her.´ No, but he shouldn't care anymore right? He had Gopher and he was back in the ranks of Spartoi, he had his own future and weapon and...

Why was Maka hugging him?

"Did you have fun with Gopher?" Maka asked slowly and quietly but got no answer. She sighed yet again. "Of course you did. You live coolly and fun's in that category too right?

Now Maka knew this was downright cruel to be talking to Soul about Gopher. She knew she didn't have any right to complain since it was her who abandoned the albino in the first place. To Maka's surprise Soul gently wrapped his arms around her slim waist.

"You idiot...I thought you were gone forever. Maka I-"

"I'm so sorry." Maka whispered and suddenly Soul felt a pull in his mind. He frowned but when the feeling doubled was clearly in pain. Soul tried to get away from Maka but the girl didn't let him. Maka's face remained buried into Soul's fluffy hair and she thought that if Gopher ever buried his face into Soul's hair like this. Did Gopher smell, taste and feel Soul the same way Maka had? No...They were synchronized so it was only natural for Gopher to do those and more. Soul's knees bucked and he wanted to fall. A slight scream escaped his throat and Maka held Soul tightly so he wouldn't fall.

The surroundings started to change a lot.

Maka felt how they were resonating once again, as a meister and a weapon. Soul's wavelength welcomed her as his former meister and as soon as Maka had blinked, she was in front of the door to black room. Soul wasn't in her arms any longer so she guessed that the little devil didn't want the albino to be here at the moment.

"Is it open?" Maka asked the black blood surrounding her.

"It's always open. Didn't I say so long time ago." Maka heard the devil's cranky reply and the door opened, its hinges making slightly creaky sound. Maka could see a little of the contest inside but to get her business done, she stepped in, the black blood dress immediately on her.

But she wasn't the only one there.

On the huge red Victorian chair sat the red devil and Maka could have sworn it was frowning.

"I would have liked for us to talk alone but who am I to command you out." the demon said and Maka was confused since it's stare wasn't directed towards her but behind her. Maka felt a weight on her back and turned her head to see the hallucination of Asura leaning against her. He didn't say a thing and soon let go, going back a few steps to let them speak in peace. The little demon sighed.

"So it has come down to this..."

"I want you to erase any remains of my wavelength from Soul's soul." Maka said sternly. The hallucination smiled behind her and Maka felt it. The little devil stared her, scrutinizing her and the other in the room. Kishin's eyes that usually danced behind the curtains started making their way towards Maka by crawling on the floor.

"Do you have a replacement for a weapon?" the devil asked.

"I work as solo. Shouldn't you already be aware of that." Maka said and raised her arm. The black blood went from the hem of the dress, and from Maka's fingertips to her hand and formed a black scythe. The effect was instant and Maka looked like a ghost, her skin being white from the loss of blood and the black dress accentuating the whiteness.

"I see...Don't you want to find him? You could still use Soul for that?" the devil inquired but Maka declined.

"I've seen the color of his soul. Soul's partner is now Gopher. By the way has he been here?"

"Many times. Even more than you but he just doesn't seem to understand madness the same way you do." The devil sighed again and Maka chuckled a bit.

"You have to learn it if you're traveling with a Kishin."

The room went quiet again and the devil agreed with a quiet resignation. He wasn't going to get this girl back. No he had lost her to the maker of madness as he had thought in the beginning.

_**The clock goes towards the beginning, but when all the participants noticed, it had already ended...**_

Maybe it was the time the clock chimed and ended this ridiculous waltz it was forced to watch. What good does it do to support someone other's insanity?

"I'll trust you do it before tomorrow." Maka said and started walking away. Gradually the scythe and the dress were torn off from her body as the door to the black rooms closed leaving only the hallucination and the devil inside.

"You wanted to use her to get me didn't you?" Asura smirked. The little devil opened its closed eyes just a little making it have incredibly bored looking face.

"Off you go now." The demon shook its hand and Asura disappeared.

´Well you can't always get what you want...´ the devil mused and hopped off from the chair to fulfill the request Maka left.

"Soul!" Gopher shouted and ran towards the scythe boy. Maka was holding Soul's limp body and glared daggers at the Spanish boy.

"You witch! What did you do to him?" Gopher asked frantically.

"What a great nickname." Maka jeered and laughed gradually letting Soul's body go and he hit the ground with a loud thump. Gopher seethed in rage and already took out his grigori wings. They were a little cleaner than at the last time she saw them. "Don't worry, hes just asleep. For few days at least."

"You bitch!"

Maka laughed at Gopher's pitiful attempt to attack with the wings but they got stuck when going into the doorway to the kitchen. The rest of the feathers were having troubles with the ceiling.

"Are you really his meister? Huh? When I was with Soul at least I could duel in narrow places and scrutinize the situation better than you." Maka taunted. She questioned herself if black had taken control but no. this was Maka Albarn acting and not her insanity.

She took a firm grip of Gopher's two wings, the left one with the left hand and the right one with the right hand. To when she started pulling them while still stepping on Gopher. Why was she suddenly acting like this? She had no idea. But it did satisfy some of her frustration.

"STOP IT!" Gopher cried as he felt part of his soul being pulled away. Maka felt her personality being twisted and pulled. If she would not stop, black would surface and the situation would get out of hand. Just in case, she let go of the wings and backed off a little. Gopher was panting on the ground and trying to get up. He canceled the grigori wings.

"Just don't get in my way..." Maka whispered and disappeared from the front door.

* * *

Kid paced back and forth in the death manor and waited for his father to arrive. The Thompson sisters weren't present because they went shopping since Patty wanted something involving Giraffes and Liz wanted new nail polisher.

The young death was very anxious in his father's presence these days. He didn't know why but something told him that he didn't want to know.

The old paintings were all symmetrical on the walls and Kid couldn't even distract himself with them. He had corrected their positions half of an hour yesterday and they were perfect.

Kid bit his nail.

"Damn it broke." he cursed and glared the other nails. After coming to the conclusion that it really wasn't going to grow back, he started biting them all.

The clock was about 7 P.M so school had ended hours ago. It was just a matter of time when his father would arrive...

Kid seated himself in a big comfy armchair and scrutinized the wall in front of him. The room was dark and the big windows with dark curtains that had been tied to side showed the sunset there.

"How's my son doing?" someone whispered right into Kid's ear, lips trailing the earlobe and having a really creepy effect.

"Father!" Kid shouted and jumped right up, his body being immensely rigid. "Don't do that." Kid said sullenly and Shinigami chuckled.

"You know I can always put my mask on and resume my old speaking if you like." Shinigami looked Kid apologetically.

"No...No you don't have to, father."

"Thank you."

The older man took a seat on the chair right opposite kid's. The room they were in was probably a living room. It was dark and Gothic, very unlike Kid's own room that was filled with yellow tapestry and light, white and not so heavy themes. There was a red rug on the ground and a mahogany furniture. The table that contained reports and a clock. There were two big windows, both having the dark velvet curtains as was said before. There were paintings and bookshelves too. The walls were dark green and there was also a fireplace that had three skulls carves into it. On the mantelpiece there were pictures of Death family. On one picture Kid was standing next to Shinigami-sama and he was smiling. Shinigami was waving his hand and looking happy.

"I...I'm confused father." Kid stuttered after a moment of silence. Shinigami rested his head on his hand and let his long dark hair be as it was.

"Why? What has you feeling so my son?" Death asked.

"I..I don't know if I'm doing the right thing any longer. We got Maka, we attacked witches and now we have the Kishin. Shouldn't it end soon? It will right?" Kid asked and searched some consolation from his father. His respectful father,

Shinigami stared his son for a very long time.

"I hope so" Shinigami said, "It's a waste if it doesn't. Not that many people die. Did you know that there's no madness in the world right now?" he changed the topic as if Kid's question was already answered. The boy didn't miss the hint of malice behind the older man's words.

He didn't care.

"Yes father. What do you plan to do with Kishin, Asura?" Kid asked and fidgeted a little as if the name had poison on it. Shinigami's face twisted into a sneer is if remembering something funny.

"Oh yes, _him_. You just have to remember that face he looked at me when I tried to talk to him. My student has yet to wake and that is worrisome." The older man snorted. "I wonder why he fell asleep?"

"Maybe because he had the audacity, no, he's the only one with the audacity to go against you father!" Kid couldn't take the acting anymore and shouted in a very undignified manner. He jumped out from the chair and took long stride towards his father who looked dumbfounded.

"He's the only one who looked into your eyes and dared to say anything against your acts! Father just think why he doesn't respond, why he asked where Maka was and why, god why he chose to keep the madness away and lock it in that chamber!" Kid gasped for breath and his eyes suddenly widened. He realized what he had done and immediately regretted it. The older man stared Kid but then raised his arm. The act made Kid stumble backwards and fall at the feet of his father. He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst but only a gentle caress touched the top of his head and dragged the small head closer.

"What has he done to have bewitched you so..." Shinigami whispered and Kid's panic started to rise but a sense of calmness also took a place in his head. His eyelids felt heavier every second even though the boy tried to fight against it. Shinigami hummed a lullaby and Kid's eyes finally fell shut and the limp body now laid on the floor, head on the father's lap.

"My sweet little son..."

What they didn't realize was the one person, outside the window, spying on them, and by the looks of it, got the information he needed.

The person disappeared as sunset almost ended dying the sky red.

* * *

Noah was sitting in his office and looking through reports. He was right now utterly devoted to work and didn't pay attention to the demon tools that lay in the corner of the room, innocently, is if they were toys. The fake magician corrected his blue cap and straightened his robes and stood up. He massaged the bridge of his nose and looked tired. The devices in the room showed numbers and readings, complicated looking texts were lying on the table and the Grimoire worm was sleeping on Noah's bed that resided in the corner. He looked outside the window and it rained. The droplets came hard against the glass and the rain had probably soaked his herbs, if not destroyed them completely.

They only needed to find few more of Eibon's tools and then... Noah had practically no idea.

Eibon had appeared to him only once during the session and had asked how many they had gotten. The answer Noah had given him had seemed to please the man and he left, leaving Noah all confused and irritated. How the hell was he supposed to be happy with this?

Just as he was about to curse himself, the knock at the door stopped the act however.

"Enter"

Justin and Giriko stepped in, drenched from the rain and shoes muddy. Despite their appearance, they looked happily at Noah.

"We found it! It was in the Mayan temple. Damn hard to get because of traps. I blasted through them though."

"Yes, after falling for them." Justin smiled sickly sweet and handed Noah the object in the bag he was carrying. This time it was a ring.

"Good work. I must say that was fast. Took only two weeks." Noah eyed the ring and touched the black stone on it. The stone made an electric hand out of thin air and was about to strangle him and would have succeeded if the grimoire worm that had been sleeping didn't take it to its teeth and hover just below the ceiling.

"That thing's got a problem. A very serious problem." Giriko said almost too apathetically while Justin explained to the magician how the trip had gone.

It didn't take long for one of the professors residing in the building to knock Noah's door and ask for audience. Giriko and Justin took their leave with instructions of where the next demon tool would be. The Grimoire worm had put the ring on top of Noah's desk and was now circling the said man who was discussing with the Professor. Noah petted its head until the worm returned to the book it had originally come from, Eibon's book.

* * *

Maka Albarn had been through a lot of things.

She has traveled with the demon god, played with witches, annoyed magicians and run after pre-kishin souls that could make a nice meat pile out of you and she's never been close to dying or being scared the hell out of.

Well a ninja could hardly count to that list so maybe it's okay.

Maybe it was okay that Maka had almost had an heart attack when Black Star suddenly grabbed her and took her to an unknown alley after scaring the hell out of her.

Sure it's okay to try to breath after that.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!" Maka hit Black Star with a big book on the head (Maka-chop) and caused the ninja to fall onto the ground. The seething scythe weapon/meister waved her hand and the book disappeared into thin air.

Tsubaki watched Maka in awe and it made the girl wonder what were her former friends after.

"I-I see you haven't lessened the power b-behind the blows..." Black Star spoke while he stood up, patting his head. "Actually I'm amazed that you still use that." The obnoxious assassin hadn't really changed at all in Maka's opinion. He just looked a little more like White Star, having black cloth over his mouth and nose and headband too. Otherwise his clothes were a mixture of Spartoi and his old ones varying from black and white in colors. He had also gained more height. Tsubaki looked the same Maka had seen her last time but this really wasn't a surprise. The girl hardly changed her clothing or hairstyle anyway.

"What do you want?" Maka asked while trying not to be bothered by their presence and grimaced. The task proved to be more hard than it should've been. Before Maka could say anything else, she was in Black Star's arms and suddenly jumping from one chimney to another.

"H-Hey Black star!"

"Not here. We talk when we're there." the assassin answered, Tsubaki hanging on his hip and sighing in her weapon form. The black blood dress activated from sheer reflex when it looked like they were going to fall and Maka shrieked.

"Whoa!" Black Star shouted, being quite surprised to hold a little princess in his arms. After that he just smirked when getting over the shock. The madness inside of him was urging to surface since Maka's was calling to it but the boy held it at bay. He wouldn't want to get discovered so soon.

The wind was nicely blowing against them but that didn't hinder with the assassin's speed at all.

"Hey Black Star." Maka said and stared the face of the assassin.

"Hm?"

"Are you still my friend?"

Black Star stopped moving for a while. He landed cleanly on one rooftop and stared the girl that seemed more like a lonely widow.

"Of course I am. What would you expect from the great me?" Black star smiled after a while, or at least that's what it looked when he had that cloth to hide his mouth. Maka saw the pity in his eyes but she also saw the honesty that told her he was speaking the truth. The girl resumed watching the ground as they started moving again. The people were so small and ant like. All the stalls full of fruits and mandarins. The coffee shops that had their part-timers working. Maka noticed as familiar looking boy handed something to a black haired girl that had her hair on pigtails right in front of the coffee shop. That must have been Ox...

They continued stepping and jumping above the roofs and then Black Star, without any warning descended, making Maka's black dress flutter and hair that was in pigtails go up and then slowly down. Black Star made a sudden movement and they were running though the alleys, then going down unfamiliar stairs, going underground...and something stirred within the girl. Maka could feel it.

Eyes watching her.

The familiar madness touching her.

Her eyes widened when she felt a hand grace her cheek and only then did Maka realize where they had gone off to when Black Star stopped, he being oblivious to the touch that Maka had received.

"We're here." he mumbled and let Maka down.

They were in front of the the tunnel that lead to Asura's sealing chamber.

* * *

**Millions of thanks to Nicholas who is still my beta even though this took so long!**

**Yeah guys I'm so sorry that I updated only now ^^''' My muse died and I had to revive it. Well here's your update and I hope you enjoyed the reading. Did you see the reference to "Soul Eater Not!" -?**

**By the way, Gopher's from Mexico but Spanish people live in Mexico don't they? They speak the same language at least.**

**AND I THANK YOU GRAPHIC HORROS FOR YOU REVIEWED! seriously thanks ;_;**


	26. The hall of never ending stories

I think I change the ending of this story a little bit. The final idea was good but I decided to shape it up a bit so that it would tie all the plots together somehow. As I guessed at some point, sideways will have over 30 chapters. Just because I cannot do this without all the other important stuff that's coming up. Yes I got reviews so I'm so happy and giddy!

Oh and btw, there's a Maka/Asura scene in this that might be a bit mature. I don't know. I can't really rate anything ._.

Should I put this fic in the M rated category anyway?

**Beta: Otherguy14**

**"..."**=speaking

`...`=thinking

Normal=normal speech

_FB=flashbacks __or then just this._

Chapter 26. The hall of never ending stories

_I was there when the bonfire was lit and it painted the sand around it._

_You sat down, wore that smile on your face._

_Talking started the lore as usual._

Maka stared at the ominous tunnel in front of her. The little tunnel was slightly breezy because the damage done here last time was viewed as unimportant and therefore wasn't repaired. The girl started taking hesitant steps towards the tunnel. She could hear Black Star following her in silence and appreciated the discretion more than anything. The black dress didn't warm at all and it felt like even Black had fallen quiet.

Maka wouldn't have minded her hallucination popping up and saying something either.

The road wasn't covered in mud or weeds but rock. Something different than what she had gotten used to when traveling on foot. Under both of her feet were rocks lined up and if she heard right, Black Star stopped. Maka didn't and kept going. She had more important things to worry about than the blue haired assassin and the boy knew it.

"Black Star.."

"It's okay. It's alright Tsubaki..." Black Star lowered the cloth over his mouth. The features radiated melancholy and suddenly the stone wall seemed very, very interesting.

"Black Star you'll get over it. I'm sure she wouldn't want you to-" But a loud yell interrupted Tsubaki's pitiful attempt at cheering the assassin up,

"It's the fourth of June isn't it?" Maka shouted but kept walking slowly. Black Star raised his head and stared the retreating back of the scythe meister.

"Today's the Graduation day. I guessed Shinigami-sama's too busy with the event to actually realize we're here." Black Star answered and appeared next to Maka. Whatever it was that had made Black Star so sad wasn't in his mind any longer. He ought to thank Maka but only gave her his silent gratefulness.

Asura's symbols on the walls and floor hadn't scuffed much. The pillars however, seemed to be on the verge of breaking at any moment. A few pebbles fell down and some collided with Maka's head, so that she had to put up a barrier around her.

"_Ancient witchcraft II, _if you ever want to read it. It's pretty interesting even if you aren't a witch. There are few tricks even meisters and weapons could try out..." Maka started babbling about books and everything in the meanwhile. Black Star didn't pay it much mind but Tsubaki actually listened. She had half a mind to try some of the things (even the darker, the ones dealing with insanity) Maka introduced in their small walk.

* * *

The huge doors in front of them could have made even the bravest man on earth cringe and turn back. They had been painted black and there were seals attached to the door. The same yellow ones that were hanging on the chains holding Asura in his skin bag just above the ground a few years ago. The same chamber, two members of the last team but very different feelings resided within both of them.

And Maka was afraid.

She didn't know why or how but fear was gripping her, keeping its hold tight and safe. She was captured. The feeling wasn't mutual but Maka didn't doubt Black Star shivered when he felt the insanity in the unopened chamber. But Maka wasn't showing her fear by movements or such a things. Her brain cracked and she had to hold her head because a headache was developing. Black Star watched her in curiosity.

"Are you still immune?"

Maka blinked, although it hurt too, not quite understanding the question, "What?"

"The madness. You still have that anti-demon wavelength don't you?"

"Of course I do."

Maka was suddenly feeling very tired. She needed to see him, make him realize her pain and longing and Asura would cure her just like he always did. Somehow his twisted and sick smile fought its way into Maka's head.

"I'm screwed...," Maka said with a trembling voice, "I don't know what I should say to him when he sees me...Maybe just smile...maybe not. Or I could run. I could let him take my-"

_Girl..._

And there it was again. The voice of Asura that sounded firm this close to its original owner. Maka was now gripping her head, squeezing it with her both hands. Sweat made it to her face and a few drops dropped onto the ground.

"No..No I-"

"Maka!" Black Star shouted. He warped next to the girl and started shaking her. Maka stumbled backwards, her legs feeling very weak. They trembled. The hair on pigtails was hanging, creating a looping, past her shoulders, the forelock covering the face but it wouldn't have been a pretty sight.

"I DON'T WANNA!" Maka let out a horrible shriek after that. Tears falling off from her eyes, stumbling to and fro, she didn't know where to go. The act was seriously freaking Black Star out until Tsubaki said anything.

"Shes afraid..."

"It's Maka! What the hell's with this hysterical attack?" Black Star covered his ears as another ear splitting shriek resounded off from the walls.

"Open the doors!" Tsubaki shouted as the black blood dress Maka was wearing began to burn off from her body. Maka's bodily image shifted and the screams sounded like they were having some technical difficulties. At first there was only Maka but then her image shifted and then there were two. Not apart from each other but shifting. As if something wanted out from her body but couldn't come out. Black Star and Tsubaki didn't know why but this was a war between Black and Maka. The feelings they both bared were so different that they couldn't fit into one small soul.

"Snap out of it!" Black Star shook her again. The black doors rattled and suddenly the air was heavy.

The graduation ceremony was on the way just above them. Students got their graduation papers and diplomas. The Spartoi members were the first to step forward. They looked happy.

The only weird thing was that Shinigami-sama didn't have his weapon beside him. Death didn't have its scythe. Spirit was gone and there was no replacement.

In the midst of the chaos Tsubaki transformed back to her human form and ran to the doors.

´Please open!´ She shouted inside her mind. The doors budged and really started moving. She pushed and pushed. Hell, the anti-demon wavelength Maka possessed was mixing with the insanity and sparks really flew. Time really flew, you could see Shinigami's seals budge, you could hear the sound and the doors flew open.

Magnificent darkness was waiting them there. Maka stopped screaming and the wind took away the rest of her black dress. There was only white clothing of Spartoi under.

"Asura..." Maka whispered. The meister and the weapon - being thrown aside when the doors opened - watched in awe as a white Kishin came forward, he shone so bright. No, not forward but stood in front of Maka and you couldn't even make out the features. The oh so familiar red rubies weren't staring back at her but white eyes. The white scarves hovered in the air as he stared her and Maka really wept under that stare.

He was gone.

The moment Maka realized her tears, Asura was gone, leaving only a determinate teenagers behind.

"Let's go!" Black Star shouted and dragged Maka with him into the chamber before the girl even realized she was being dragged.

"I know!" Maka shouted, suddenly feeling better but irritated. This was a short journey that would end well!

There was no wind, you had to see with your soul. You had to feel the thousands of victims of Asura being there. Surely it was crowded.

Black Star bellowed when he saw them too, "What?"

"He's close...so close." Maka smiled melancholy smile.

The torches weren't being lit any longer. Black Star jumped to the roof and ran on the pillars on the ceiling, the ones being near the ceiling. There was the broken floor. Shinigami had broken it in his rage and Maka had laid there, next to _him_.

"I see the statue! Or what's left of it..." Black Star trailed off. He jumped and landed but the floor beneath him broke. He threw Maka over the edge just in time.

She landed in a undignified heap on the ground but immediately got up. Really her body was acting strange these days.

"Black Star!" She shouted and ran to the edge but was forced to back down when more of the floor crumbled in. There was still no sight of the blue haired assassin. Maka felt really bad about leaving him down there alone so she concentrated. The grigori spurted wings from Maka's feet, making it seem like she was walking on some blue light, but they were her wings, since Soul wasn't here anymore.

Maka was about to jump down and go search the boy when a threatening thing happened.

She was few centimeters apart from the ground - right at the edge of the aperture – when the grigori wings disappeared with a cracking sound.

"AH!"

A loud thump was heard and Maka was found on the floor, sprawling and holding her head. Black blood was oozing off from her ankles to the floor.

Maka grit her teeth and tried not to think the pain but it was too much. Like all of her joints were cut in her legs. She couldn't move them.

Maka cursed in her mind quite loudly and outside she was grunting and her breathing was uneven and coming out in wheezes. ´T-The hell is this...?´

The minutes dragged by and Maka summoned the black blood to heal her wounds but it just wouldn't come out. Why?

Why was her body betraying her like this? Black Star was still down there and-...Maka's eyes shot open.

She wasn't here for the assassin.

She was here for Asura. Not the kid that just fell into the hole. Black Star was fairly capable of taking care of himself. Even more than Maka herself.

So the girl made a - not so hard - choice and started dragging herself away from the hole, ignoring the splinters that carved their way into her tights as she couldn't move them. A nerve wrecking pain clouded her senses. It seemed like her own soul and the black blood were refusing to cooperate with her magic and were battling for the dominance.

Was this because she wanted to be more powerful and despite the risks took magic lessons? Was this her body telling her that she had overdone it by far? Or was this some sort of nasty joke Black and hallucination had came up with and were teasing Maka just when she was about to find the Kishin.

The resentment in Black's eyes appeared in Maka's mind's eye and she could have laughed. No this wasn't her. Black wouldn't touch Maka if she had the choice.

Another wave of pain went from her head to toes. She was shivering on the floor, advancing stopped, and in pain.

She had left quite a noticeable trail of blood behind her and we'll never know if she did realize that someone was following it or didn't. Maybe it was because the pain had desensitized her body or that she realized but didn't deem it as important.

But still a black shadow appeared right behind one of the pillars behind Maka. It walked closer and familiar tobacco's smell filled her nose and she grimaced. It smelled bad.

The unknown person sighed and watched her try to advance. It was pathetic and really didn't fit to the star student of Shibusen.

The broad shoulders shrugged as the person – sincerely a man- walked closer and intentionally stepped on the broken ankle.

Maka screamed.

"I'll have you know that I'm quite angry with you." Stein spoke casually but his face was full of shadows, making him look wicked. He twisted the leg and stomped it like he would've stomped on a cigarette on the ground. Maka shivered even more. She created a scowl on her features and turned to look at Stein.

"You...What do you want professor." She spat out, panting a little.

"Oh nothing. I would just like to know where the hell," he charged his hand with his wavelength "you took my partner!" Stein shouted at the end and hit Maka with his wavelength, hurting Maka's back in the process.

"!" blood spurted from Maka's mouth as she was brutally held against the floor, her ribs being nearly broken but surprisingly they were healing. Insanity hadn't abandoned her. Maka could feel herself smirk.

"So the professors are *cough *...now a-attacking the students are they?" blood oozed from her head too to the floor. Suddenly the air around her changed and Stein almost -really, almost- took a step back.

"Where the hell did you take him?" Maka glowered at the man, rage practically radiating from her. The eyes of Asura began to gather around, hearing the mistress's call that they recognized. A few of them attached onto her broken ankle and Maka could feel the pain leaving her mind. Stein really did take a step back and scowled at the girl.

"You use madness now?" he asked unsure. Surely a grigori wouldn't be using madness now would it? The Professor saw the hate in Maka's eyes burn and it really felt like it was eating her alive. He frowned a little.

Why?

Franken Stein had been assigned to guard Kishin Asura who Shinigami-sama held here. It had been sudden and surprising but Asura hadn't seemed to struggle at all and when Stein looks at his face – since he knows where Asura rests – he cannot help but feel that something's not right. The Hate burning Maka's soul is huge blazing flame. A flame which erupts even more when Stein uses soul perception to look.

And he doesn't like what he sees.

"Professor, where is he?" Maka asked again and took a step back. She wasn't here for a fight and since the black blood didn't seem to work properly, Maka had to rely on his weapon blood, leaving her defenseless if the scythes broke. The black dress did try to come back but burned away as if it couldn't be sustained. Stein lowered his fighting stance and relaxed. What had she done to make the so top student of Shibusen, so wrecked.

"Maka, are you hurting right now?" Stein asked, slight concern in his voice. Maka looked gobsmacked and suspicious.

"huh?"

"Right now, Is your chest hurting? Or maybe body?"

"_Blend into the shadows, control your breathing, and wait for your target to let his guard down..."_

"Hell yes it is for you just messed up with it. Guilty conscience? In that case I'll forgive you since I'm gonna mess up with you too!" Maka shouted the last part and ran forward, transforming her arm into a scythe. She jumped high up – she grimaced at the feeling in her ankle - and brought the arm down but Stein swirled out of the way. The way they fought seemed very serious and neither of them heard the low running underground.

"_Tune into your target and Predict his thoughts and actions."_

Stein fired his soul wavelength but Maka went down to all fours, as if some animal, and quickly expanded the scythe to wield it down on Stein's feet. It scraped them but the Professor jumped up to avoid any serious damage. Stein inwardly cursed since he didn't have a weapon. Maka suddenly went pale, as if all blood was leaving her veins, and the smokescreen that had came from the last attack from Stein (it rumbled the chamber's pillars and a few fell down onto the floor, breaking it).

´Where is she?" Stein tried to see Maka frantically

"_Strike your target before he notices you..." _

The smoke got cut and Stein saw how Maka was holding a scythe that had a silver blade and black back of the blade. The snatch was black too. Maka's skin had almost turned to white and Stein didn't know how she moved her body but then she shouted. The battle cry was intoxicating.

"ORIYAAA!"

Stein moved his hands to hold the blade like he had held Maka and Soul's witch hunter in the remedial class. Also the blade was coming too fast to dodge.

"TRAPSTAR!" came a voice underground and soon the floor broke and chains were everywhere. Black Star emerged from the underground and Maka, just in time, jumped back to avoid getting caught in the trap. Maka grimaced and gasped when her broken ankle touched the ground and while she was holding the scythe like she would've held soul, the blade didn't have her strength to be stabbed into the ground in time and Maka fell on her bum, Asura's eyes leaving the broken body part.

"What-?" Stein looked over is shoulder, his lab coat getting slightly torn as Tsubaki's chains trapped the Professor. The clicking sound was heard everywhere in the chamber as the chains tightened and Stein tried to escape from their coil, but in vain. The floor's little pieces of wood came raining down and the assassin descended onto the safe ground. He was expressionless when staring at the professor but when little groans made their way to his ears, Black Star turned around sharply and saw how Maka was coiled on the floor, in pain. The boy ran towards his friend in hurry.

"Maka are you alright?"

Maka let out a weak laugh and Black Star crouched down. He analyzed the damage but when his eyes landed on the ankle – all bruised and white bone had come through the skin, making it bleed. It wasn't nearly in the condition to walk and the boy wondered how in the world did she fight with her ankle like that. Black Star grimaced.

"Come on. We have to get you up." Tsubaki tried gently -she had tied Stein up with rope (not that it would hold)- and lifted Maka up but the girl let out a pained cry and Tsubaki quickly raised her off the ground. She was a little too light for her liking. Had she not eaten, Tsubaki wondered.

In the meanwhile, Black Star was questioning Stein quietly.

"You aren't supposed to attack anyone you know."

"Acted on impulse." Stein laughed a little, seeming much more easy going now. "I still want her to tell me Spirit's whereabouts."

"She can't walk now."

"I apologize."

Black Star snorted, "Not to me but to her. You know she's quite keen on finding the Kishin. Is he here? I heard he was."

"From who?"

"Did a little spying." Black Star trailer off and smirked a little. Stein gave him a weird look and the ropes keeping him at bay were suddenly laying on the ground with a thud.

"I really don't know what to do with you..." he sighed and walked over to Maka. Tsubaki gave a little squeak when Stein picked Maka from her arms and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"A little gentleness would be appreciated..." Maka whispered while she tried to hold back a cry of anguish when Stein tapped her bottom. She wasn't given an answer but the man started walking, guiding them through many pillars and going deeper into the chamber. The assassin duo was walking a little behind them, talking about things.

"What do you mean the ceremony is only going to be open for three hours? Last year it was the whole day!" Black Star said furiously. Tsubaki looked unaffected.

"I think Shinigami-sama is trying to avoid kids since that cake incident. It's almost wholly your fault."

"But we already spent two hours! Man they're gonna come here and kill us...aaah...Wait a minute! I don't want to worry abut that." Black Star irked and started walking faster. Tsubaki sighed and noticed how Stein had stopped. Black Star hadn't. Instead he collided with Maka's hanging head.

"Ouch!"

"We're here." Stein said and lowered Maka on the ground. She sat down.

"There's nothing-" Maka's sentence was not finished but that was because her eyes widened a bit when she saw what Stein was standing in front of.

A big blue barrier.

"Wh-What is this?" She inquired. Black Star puffed air into his lungs and looked annoyed.

"Nothing works against the great me!" He shouted. Maka and Tsubaki's heads snapped when the boy started walking right into the barrier. In fact he did and his being disappeared. Tsubaki gasped and Maka gawked. Stein looked bored.

"Bl...Black Star!" Tsubaki shouted and ran towards the barrier (which she didn't see of course) but stopped dead in her track when Black Star walked straight out from thin air. Maka gawked and stared astonished.

"Illusion barrier." Stein said proudly. "It doesn't let anyone see what's inside of it but creates an illusion that it's part of the space it's in. When you try to break in or walk, like Black Star just did, the doer feels nothing but in fact she or he steps into the barrier, launching its protection mechanism. It's kinda like a mirror world. When you go in, you'll get out quickly since the perpetrator doesn't see the difference, he just thinks the same space continues and starts running to the direction he came from and in time, get out from the illusion. Very useful if I might add."

"This is very powerful magic." Maka said but Stein turned to face the girl.

"No. Not magic but soul arts. Shinigami-sama himself did this barrier and don't think this is the last defense."

The whole party sighed and sat down for a moment. Now not only did they have limited time line which would expire in an hour but also a freaking barrier to get through not to even mention the other defenses. Maka and Stein grimaced when they knew how much it would take to even break the barrier with delicate methods to not alarm Shinigami.

"Can't Kid take it down?" Maka asked and rubbed her temples.

"You don't see Kid here do you. But maybe. Very unlikely but maybe." Stein answered. Black Star rubbed his nose.

"What are you so depressed for?"

"Shut up." the duo said, almost abdicating the whole mission. Black Star looked the space where he didn't see anything.

"I can go and get Kid if you need him."

"No you can't." Maka said and looked up from the ground.

"Doubting the great me?"

"Shut up."

Black Star frowned. There was a vein pulsing on his forehead which meant he was a little annoyed. The member of the Star clan wasn't supposed to be this helpless. He was supposed to shine his way out to the gods! Not in a million years was he going to stop here. No, He was going to jump to the stage and take it all to himself! He was the unbeatable and never giving up hero they needed and he would shine for them.

"You're all just idiots!" Black Star shouted and stood up, planting his feet firmly to the ground with a loud bang. All the heads rose up as Black Star walked over to the barrier. He couldn't see it, couldn't feel it, couldn't smell it. Like it wasn't there.

"MAKA!"

"Y-yes!" She let out a surprised squeak when her name was said so loud. Black Star didn't turn when he spoke to her.

"You can see it right? In that case tell me where it is. I'll break that damn thing." He lowered his voice and looked menacingly ahead. The air cackled with his soul wavelength and the party had to suppress a shudder. Maka couldn't help but think of how amazing Black Star's soul looked and his wavelength felt. She felt a sudden determination surge in her veins and she knit her brows together.

"It's right in front of you. The distance is a bout a meter." She said and looked over the barrier once more. She strengthened her soul perception to see the lines of how the barrier was constructed. Finally she saw what she was looking for.

"There's a weak point at the up right corner from the pillar on your right."

Black Star smiled and pulled his bandages tighter around his arms. The blue soul wavelength pulsed against his skin. Tsubaki helped Maka up and Black Star took a firm stance, building up his soul's whole wavelength into that one blow.

And then he jumped.

At the ground level where Shinigami was greeting the students with his usual cheery air (with his mask!) and Kid was standing next to him, when he felt disturbance at the underground level. Shinigami looked down and felt a barrier crumble down. He smirked a bit under the mask. Half proud that the youngsters were able to get through the barrier and half curious what would happen.

He resumed his greetings and offered Kid some can juice which he politely declined.

Maka gawked when she saw how the supposedly to be impenetrable barrier was gone and they were greeted with a wind and smoke. The floor had broken at where the barrier had been, creating almost a trench like deep line that continued at the right and left side as far as the eye could see.

"No one can outshine the amazing me." The boy grinned and landed on the other side of the trench. Tsubaki sighed in relief and Maka smiled at the foolish boy. Stein laughed,

"I'll never see anyone as reckless and successful as you."

The trio on the other side asked Black Star for a confirmation since the floor seemed to be especially frail today and only then jumped to the other side. Tsubaki had a little difficulty coming down and Maka had to support herself on the broken ankle, which drew a pained groan from her lips.

"Sorry." Tsubaki apologized quickly.

When turning one could sense how the air had changed. Gone was the eerie atmosphere and was replaced by a quick surge of sudden madness.

´So this was the reason why I cannot sense him...´ Maka thought. The barrier had been blocking the madness and now it was freely moving around. But something was wrong.

"Hey Maka, since you've been with the Kishin for a while now so you would know but...Was the madness really this small?" Black Star asked. Stein frowned.

"I'm not being taken over. Why?" The Professor wondered out loud. He turned the screw in his head and when the usual 'click' was heard, he went back thinking. Was this Marie's influence? Could the woman really have cured the madness inside Stein?

"No, this is..." Maka closed her eyes and used soul perception. The coverage searched and very suddenly came to a sudden stop. Maka frowned when she saw the familiar red soul with eyes planted on it but it was...small? No it was normal size but seriously ridiculously small for a god like Asura. Hell, last-time Maka had seen the Kishin's soul it had been about the same size as Shinigami's but...

"He's sleeping." Maka answered the question up in the air. "No, more like hibernating." the girl corrected after a while. Black Star snorted.

"Well ain't he one bastard. Here we're getting our asses kicked by professors and barriers and the guy just takes a nap?"

"Black Star I said hibernating. It means he isn't taking a nap but is sleeping like in a coma." Maka corrected and tried to make the blue haired assassin see that it nearly wasn't as pleasant as he made it sound. She got a snort as an answer. Maka felt annoyed and started bickering with him, partly defending Asura's reputation. Tsubaki smiled cumbersomely and Stein had a sweat drop on his head. They were quite loud but then they heard noises.

"Shh!" Stein urged them and all was quiet. From where they came from, there were voices coming. Small torch lights could be seen and shouts as 'it's here!' and 'they're at the other side'. The lot didn't have to think long before figuring it all out.

"We're being followed." Maka frowned.

"Well the barrier let some madness out so..." Stein didn't need to elaborate further when there were jumping sounds already. Some had crossed the trench and were coming after them.

"What do we do now!" Tsubaki whispered and hid behind a pillar, as they all did.

"I could knock them out." Black Star said and was already collecting his wavelength to his hand. Maka who was standing right next to him – she was taking support from him – put her hand on the assassin's shoulder.

"Don't. They'll just call reinforcements and it'll be harder to get to Asura before we get caught." Her hand was gripping a little more hard when the name of Kishin came out from her lips. Black Star turned towards Maka and whispered into her ear,

"Have you done it already?" Maka looked lost so Black Star elaborated a little. Tsubaki was talking to Stein and they tried to figure a way out but then a squeak caught their attention.

Black Star kissed Maka.

Maka's eyes went impossibly wide when the assassin's lips touched hers and her pigtails rose high up and not to even mention the tremors that ran through her spine.

Tsubaki and Stein looked gobsmacked. No, Tsubaki made a choking sound and Stein dropped his tobacco to the ground and stared the duo in shock.

"That kind." Black Star answered Maka's question. Maka had a blank face. Right after that a trail of blood came out from the corner of her mouth. She immediately wiped it off and put up a smiley front.

"No."

Tsubaki and Stein were screaming in their heads after hearing that. ´She perfectly ignored Black Star's violation for personal space!´

"Then he's an important friend like Soul huh?" Black Star asked without any consideration and Tsubaki had the urge to hit him on the head. Maka stared at the assassin a while but then smiled,

"Yeah, just like Soul."

The pursuers were right on their heels. The party could hear them now very coherently and even see their shadows. Maka thought quickly. If they faced the enemy, they would defeat them, no doubt but the reinforcements could be worse. Shinigami himself couldn't come since that would raise suspicion but that didn't mean that there weren't three star meisters free to come. Even though they had Shibusen's most powerful meister at their side, even he couldn't do much without a weapon. Maka still hadn't changed to full weapon even once so Stein couldn't use her. If they ran away, they would be seen and hunted down. The running plan could work if one of them raised enough ruckus to get the others away...

"I got it. We need to use a bait." Maka said to Black Star who signaled the message to Stein and Tsubaki. Stein gestured something Maka didn't understand and then he pointed his thumb towards the darkness just behind them. Black Star smirked and gestured something himself. Tsubaki nodded in agreement and then Black Star turned to face Maka.

"Tsubaki and the great me are gonna do it. You head on with Stein since he knows where the Kishin lies."

"Will you be alright?" Maka asked with a slight concern in her voice.

"Who do you think you're talking to? If you don't trust my powers then at least trust my soul." Black Star smirked. Maka gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze and gave him a smirk with a serious face.

"Good luck."

"Don't you worry. No one's going to get past me." Black Star jumped out from the shadows after being sure that Maka was taking support from the pillar they were behind. Tsubaki did the same but transformed into a chain sickle. Maka heard him shout something loud and the people following them turned their flashlights towards the assassin. Black Star charged forward and Maka heard a fight start but couldn't see it. The pillar was a necessity to her and the ankle just hurt more when she relied on it. Stein used the change now that the attention was elsewhere and grabbed Maka by her waist – a quick 'sorry' was used by the unkindness – and they ran off.

* * *

"But father why are you letting them go wild like this?" Kid demanded to know as he was drinking tea with his father – 'Early Grey' for him and 'Sir Roberth's Scented' for Shinigami - in Death Room. The graduation ceremony was on the way but it would soon end. After that Death would have fun with the Albarn girl as long as he liked.

"This is like playing with Arachne again." Shinigami hummed a little but Kid heard him either way. This was like with BJ again. Suspecting his father and suspecting BJ because they were the same and...Kid did question his father about many things. But just like the engineer, Kid already knew, his father had worn a mask. A mask to cover his real self. He didn't know if this was his father's real face and maybe he didn't want to know.

It made him sick.

"This isn't a play..." Kid squeezed his fists and almost whispered the words. "Are you planning something behind my back again, father?"

"Mmm, Maybe." Death mused and sipped his tea again. Maybe he should have stuck with coffee after all. Kid looked at his father disbelievingly which didn't go unnoticed.

"Ah, don't worry. It's not anything big." Death added with a comforting smile. His mask lay on the coffee table that looked identical to the thing. He hadn't especially ordered anything but yet Sid took action when he heard there was someone trying to break the Kishin free again. The zombie took Nygus and a few other men with him and headed for the underground tunnel.

´Maybe I should've stopped them?´ Shinigami thought and frowned at his cup. If the zombie messed up his plans then he was going to be in trouble. Kid looked ready to storm out of the room.

"Father, what do you even need him for? Just as a decoration to show off? No, I know you're not like that, but maybe you..." Kid seemed to go through different scenarios inside his head and stopped for a while but then his eyes widened. "You're not planning on using him for madness aren't you!"

Shinigami spit his tea out.

"F-father, is it true?" the sanzu boy took few steps back and the tea cup almost fell over if not for the hand that stopped it in the last second.´ Symmetry saved.´ Kid sighed and seemed to remember what he was doing. Lord Death coughed and tried to get some air into his lungs and quickly put his cup down.

"N..no Kid. I'm not going to use him for madness." ´I think I have enough of that as my own´ he added inside his head and wiped the coffee trail leaving from the corner of his mouth. Kid's shoulders relaxed and he limply threw himself on the chair behind him. He put a hand on his face and sighed; the tea not doing what it was supposed to and Kid wasn't relaxed at all. Shinigami smiled apologetically.

"Do you want to hear the plan then?"

Kid couldn't believe his ears. The hand was immediately off from his face and Kid bounced up like a grasshopper. "Do you mean that father?" he asked enthusiastically. His father never gave any information to him or included him in any serious missions.

"I guess I've been neglecting you a bit so..." Death shrugged. Kid looked very happy indeed but quickly put up his mask of calmness again.

"I thank you for this father. You may have just regained my trust."

"My own son doesn't trust me. Doesn't that sound just bad." Shinigami said while a single tear was hanging from his eye. Indeed it did sound sad but he must have been quite a secretive about things Kid seemed necessity to be included in. The conversation continued after that quite lightly but then Death Room's door opened with a loud bang and Marie ran in. It took a while for her to reach the middle of the room because of the guillotine alley.

"Shinigami-sama! We have troubles!" she came shouting and almost instantly imploded on to the ground. The blond hair was in disarray and she was sweating a lot.

"Marie-sensei!" Kid said, surprised by the sudden appearance of his teacher. He quickly offered his chair to the exhausted woman while giving his father a look of panic. Before the woman had time to recover, Kid shoved the mask right against his father's face, almost breaking his nose in the progress and tidied the black cloak and gave it the childish appearance with pointed edges. Shinigami was holding his face as if holding his nose and complained about Kid's brutality but it went to deafened ears.

"Heya there. What can I do for you." Shinigami asked with his cheery voice. Kid was almost used to the ablaut so he didn't do anything else than wince and grimace. Again his father wore that stupid mask,. Confining his real self.

"It's Justin sir...he...He was in your collection chamber with a weird chainsaw guy. But that's not it!" Marie scolded herself for straying, "Your demon tool collection sir! It's gone completely!" Marie shouted while looking quite desperate. Outside it didn't look much to anyone who watched Death but on the inside he was shocked. He needed those tools!

"Where are they now?" Death asked and his voice was just a little grimier but enough to make Kid realize the seriousness of the situation.

"In the cells. We put them into different cells and put on them shackles that repress their weapon abilities" The death scythe answered but when she realized the tea in front of her (it was Kid's), she took the cup and drank from it. Shinigami looked apathetic but raised his cartoonish hands up and stood up from his chair.

"Well shouldn't we pay a visit to them since they came all the way here." Death said cheerfully and gestured Kid to follow him. When they were half away in the guillotine alley Death asked Kid with a normal voice,

"Have you ever seen execution?"

Kid raised his frowned but kept walking despite the weird subject. "No father. Those were banned. It's in the laws you wrote yourself."

"Then you're going to see your first one." they exited the room with death's robes changing to his old ragged ones and they billowed behind him impressively. Kid followed his father with a worry that the madness of order might just be on its peak today.

* * *

I cannot believe that I was listening to Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks when writing this. Somehow that's a bit contradictory =_=!

Edit: I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAD TO WATCH SOUL EATER AGAIN JUST FOR THIS!

and btw, I didn't make those tea names up. I may not sound like one but I drink tea on daily basis (except now when the temperature ceases to be under 27* Celsius, which is hell).

And I have made a grave mistake! The mission board that has missions doesn't have them on PAPER! They are some mini boards with text on them. I apologize for this mistake (_._)

**R&R**


	27. The Great escape & Asura's rage

**Warnings! : this chapter has OOC on Shinigami-sama's part. It may annoy some but he's pretty evil.**

_**This chapter is written by memory of Justin Law and Giriko who were bound to be the most loveable thieves.**_

**Beta: otherguy14 (THIS CHAPTER HASN'T BEEN BETA'ED YET!)**

"..." = speaking

´...´ = thinking

normal speech

_This _or this = flashbacks

Chapter 27. The Great escape & Asura's Rage

_Dead man tell no tale_

Execution.

Kid knew very well what it meant. Some of the pre-kishins did too but no one knew why. Maybe it was because Asura knew and that way his madness knew and madness was everywhere, informing its friends and those who heard its voice or perhaps it was just something that a human who was reborn remembered before turning into a Kishin-egg. Kid didn't have a clue. But one thing he knew for sure was that no normal humans could ever receive execution of Shinigami.

The reason? It permanently broke one's soul and didn't let it pass on nor come back as a ghost. It was just a dead soul which Shinigami first wrecked and then ate. It was sickening to watch the progress but Kid obediently walked behind his father in the halls and corridors of Shibusen, the students having long ago gone home since the entrance ceremony was over. Soon they were at the entrance to the dungeons. Of course it didn't went as far down as Asura's sealing chamber. There were no numbers on the cell doors and the place was amazingly well kept. When they took another turn, Death suddenly stopped and corrected his attire, seeming like a nice fella again. Kid pondered the reason and looked confused as to why bother when he was only with his own son and peeked around the corner to see Azusa and some men from her branch converse with their backs turned to them.

´No wonder he's always so uptight these days.´ Kid's face turned slack and he could very well remember the last time Azusa had noticed his father's weird attitude. His father had cried about never going near the woman again and always had a mission or two ready for the Asian woman, just to make sure she would be away.

"Ah, Shinigami-sama. We were just conversing about the fate of our prisoners but you do have some sort of picture right?" Azusa raised her glasses with a twinkle at the corner and with a stern face.

"Um..yeah, you see I was gonna-"

"So you have no plan and just do what ever comes to your head?" Azusa raised her glasses again. Really the woman was so blunt and with her harsh tone, totally unyielding personality and the blunt attitude could shove anyone over the edge. Maybe not Excalibur but _'that thing' _- as Kid liked to call the sword – couldn't be compared to anything.

"No. I was going to-"

"With no plan? These men could be great hostages!" Azusa cut Shinigami off and Kid could see his father sweat and his sad face really proved his thoughts right.

They had to get this sniper rifle out from here.

The men behind the Death Scythe Queen looked bothered so Kid sent them off to do something else than add to the heavy atmosphere. When he tried the same tactic with the older woman, it was crushed to millions of pieces beneath the heel of her shoes with her voice signaling, no questions I'm the boss here.

In the end, Azusa won (much to Death's displeasure) and almost opened the door to the cell but then stopped.

"Have you seen those two by the way?" She inquired which just proved some of Kid's suspicions about the condition of their prisoners. They must be pretty beaten up and maybe they would even see some gore since Azusa didn't take kindly to Justin's betrayal. Also she blamed Maka's own personal betrayal on Justin, who should have apparently been a better role model for children.

"Azusa-chan, when I hear that someone has broken into my secret chamber and stolen all of the demon tools, I only partly care about the condition of the said thieves." Shinigami mumbled as if the aspect was obvious and clear.

´So none at all. No compassion at all?´ Kid looked his father with blank eyes as the Death Scythe simply nodded in understanding which Kid himself didn't comprehend. The Asians were truly scary people.

The thick metal door opened with a loud quibble as it hadn't been oiled for a long time. The cell was dark but was more spacey than Medusa's cell had been except theirs' didn't have a window as Chrona had had. If you asked Kid, Shibusen had had a tough budget in the beginning (some 700-600 years ago) and no extra windows were added. Justin and Giriko were in the shadows of the room and since the corridor outside wasn't really lit up, their faces couldn't be seen.

Azusa walked into the cell and seemed to go to Justin. She said something to him while Kid entered and went to Giriko, who by the way had a sombrero on his head. The man was out cold and since Kid felt a little sympathy towards his enemy he took the cloth that prevented speaking, away from his mouth. Immediately brown eyes seemed to wake and Kid had to wonder whenever the cloth was drugged or not.

"What the hell are ya-!" Giriko gasped as he spotted Shinigami's intimidating form right behind Kid. Oh he was screwed. Giriko was so screwed that he didn't know if he could even pass on peacefully after this because he was definitely going to get killed. He was going to blame that bastard Noah who said something like this:

"_The Great Eibon has contacted me with highly alarming way _(what way? Giriko screamed)_ and here I shall tell you that all the remaining demon tools are in Shibusen."_

Yeah, he doubted the great old one really said anything of that sort and he wasn't going to complain since Noah got his trashing from the scientist. But one thing was clear, Shinigami was not happy and when he was not happy it was the seventh circle of hell on earth.

"Where might you have taken my demon tools?" Shinigami asked with his happy tone which slightly silted at the end.

"They're not here anymore." Giriko scowled. He had never really respected Death unlike Justin who was staring Kid with new found interest.

"You do realize you're captured?" Kid asked as he crouched in front of the chainsaw weapon.

"Oh I didn't realize it being tied up and all!" Giriko spat at his face when trying to look scary.

"So undefined. You're not symmetric at all. Here, raise your shoulders-," Kid started moving Giriko around and the man answered 'like this?' or 'not there!' when Kid touched a particularly sore place. Shinigami looked his son for a while as if trying to find some usefulness in the situation but apparently failed to do so.

"Oh my lord, kill us before we get killed," Justin prayed and made his usual dramatics done.

"Suicide isn't really in nowadays," Shinigami gave Justin a reply when he looked over his shoulder.

"No, no, no. We'll probably get killed by Noah if you don't kill us." Justin grimaced, as if he had remembered something foul.

"Companionship isn't really your thing is it. How about I give you a pardon if you could just tell me where you buried my tools?"

"We didn't bury them. We sent them to Noah through this." Justin showed Death a blank paper. " Oops. Wrong one. Wait a moment." He requested patience and started rummaging through his hidden pockets. The device inside his hat was a shock. Shinigami was beginning to offer his assistance or maybe threat the failure-as-a-monk if he didn't hurry up, when Justin shouted -Eureka!- and gave Kid almost a heart attack.

"STOP HELPING THEM!" Giriko panicked but Shinigami stuffed the abandoned cloth back into his mouth and the man was out cold again. It was the same paper Justin usually used when transporting himself and the clown. The scribbles Shinigami-sama didn't understand proved to be enough to make him realize the oncoming headache.

"Not that you could use it anyway." Justin shrugged as Death gave the paper to Azusa. He ordered the weapon to analyze it and then report. Maybe they could create something similar and fool Noah and the witches. Azusa bowed and exited the room and Kid was about to exit the room as well but quickly decided against it and blended in with the shadows and tried to listen as it seemed both of the factors didn't acknowledge his presence in the cell.

"What are you planning?" Shinigami asked and removed his mask and Justin gulped as the leering yellow eyes shone in the darkness. If there was anyone who deserved to be called death, it was this man. Long black hair flowed out from his cloak. "You of all people should know that I don't take it kindly when I'm being played."

"Nothing of the sort I assure you." Justin raised his hands up in defeat and offered Shinigami a charming smile. "I just want to make a deal."

Kid narrowed his eyes calculatingly. Where the hell was this conversation going?

"A deal? With me of all people?" Shinigami too seemed doubtful about this little turn of events. He took a few steps closer and looked Justin in the eye. The blond shivered a little but stood his ground.

"Well let's hear it then." Death shrugged and gave Kid a little stare over his shoulder. Kid frowned and gave his father a look, -I had to try-. Shinigami-sama smiled a little at this act and returned his attention to Justin.

"If you let me go I can show you where Noah's base is. All of the demon tools are there and you wouldn't have to search for them. Eibon is there too." Justin finished and the shackles on his wrists made a clanking sound since he took a better position. Shinigami-sama watched his prisoners and then gave a shrilling laugh. It sounded all wrong and twisted in Kid's opinion and bounced off from the stone walls, reverberating and splitting the ears of the listeners. Justin took a step back and looked confused. Shinigami-sama tried to stay up and covered half of his face with his palm.

"Oh it's Christmas!" Shinigami-sama shouted. "I haven't had this much fun in a while!" and the laugh lowered to chuckles. Kid already had his back pressed against the wall but it didn't feel to cover him enough. He wanted the earth to swallow him, to hide him from his own father.

"Do you see a problem?" Justin asked and frowned. Death's yellow eye gleamed in the dark. He opened the gap between his fingers and glanced Justin before whispering,

"You lie."

Justin's panicked looks portrayed his horror very well when Death swirled his hand free and out from thin air appeared a black, black scythe. Darker than black blood. "I can smell it on you. I can see it in you. You have Eibon's eye carved in you mind and soul. I see...you're spying on me my dear friend?" Shinigami asked Justin who looked flabbergasted.

"N-No! I'm not spying! I'm speaking the truth!"

"Then get on own knees and make me believe it!" Death scorned and slammed the end of his scythe against the floor. Kid fell onto the floor when his knees didn't hold out any longer. His father's wavelength swept past him, almost knocking him out.

"I swear! I only speak the truth my lord!" Justin got onto his knees and prayed in front of Shinigami-sama.

"You lie, you don't speak the truth. Your smell is foul and rotten."Death said in sing-sang tone. He once again hit the ground with his scythe, as if starting some ritual. The observers saw how skulls made from black smoke and electricity hovered and moved around the cell and how wind picked up from Death's black cloak. It seemed like there were bones inside and they poured down with black mud that spread when Death walked closer, his yellow eyes ever observant and ever seeing. You can't lie to Death.

"My-My lord please...please...don't..." Justin cried out when a bone white hand shot out and buried itself deep into his chest. The black electricity skulls suddenly flew towards Justin and attached themselves to his back and black chains like things connected to the wall behind him. His guillotine soul was bright but already stained red. The clown had left souls behind which Justin's soul had absorbed.

"My friends! Thank you for coming," Death raised his arms out and spoke like there was a thousand head crowd in front of him. And indeed, from the shadows, from the deepest depths of Death rose whispers and creatures that didn't have a form but were only mud and filthy but also some very noble looking nobility. "I've summoned you today to witness the very first execution that is to be performed after 800 years of rest!"

"_How filthy he is..." _whispered a black woman who had a fan in front of his mouth, hiding it.

"_Yes, perfect for dying." _responded a troll looking substance.

"_Poor man. His soul will never rest." _the children forming a crescent moon behind death giggled. Their eyes gleamed white.

"Without further ado..., Justin," Shinigami turned to face the unfortunate man. "You should feel honored! I never do this with normal humans, they're normal and therefore you aren't. Do you feel brave Justin Law? Do you feel like offering me another false _deal_?"

But Justin didn't answer. Giriko lay on the ground, unconscious and Kid thought it was far better that way.

* * *

Stein carried Maka about ten minutes before coming into conclusion that the Kishin was close. They had arrived to the end of the chamber. A firm cement wall was right on front of them and it didn't have any doors or windows on it.

"Are you sure he's here?" Maka asked and cocked an eyebrow.

"Once again I remind you that I'm his guardian. He's here. I'm positive. If he's not...then I suppose he's been moved to some other place that I have no knowledge of." Stein shrugged and adjusted his hold on Maka. Carrying her like a potato sack on his side was the most brilliant idea he's ever come up with.

"Are you sure you're healthy?"

"I ate yesterday if that's what you're after. Other free time I spent reading and wallowing in misery." Maka answered and Stein was just about to correct her of the unhealthiness of her lifestyle when Maka shouted,

"For God's sake! I just want to see him!" She rolled her eyes and a tick was right above her eyes. Maka grunted and turned her head away from the professor. Stein interpreted that she was fairly annoyed. The man, however, also knew the time they had was limited. It wouldn't take long before the troops that came in called for help. If they did so, their little rescue mission would be for naught.

Stein shot his own wavelength to the wall and a little clank was heard. Then a part of the wall began to sink to the ground – it had it's own hole to go down there, Maka noticed – and suddenly a suppressed wavelength shot through Maka's whole being. Stein seemed to be unaffected though.

"So...do you like him?" Stein asked and Maka threw her head back to give a laugh before calmly answering, "Yes."

"Do you want to have the talk how birds and bees are made?"

"NO! He's not like that! And of course I already know how birds and bees are made, as you so intellectually put it."Maka shouted, horrified. "Let me down."

"I don't think your legs can hold you. Your ankles are broken." Stein answered defiantly.

"Now." Maka glared him and the professor faltered under those blazing green orbs. He put the girl down and Maka fell so magnificently on her face that Stein couldn't hold it in anymore.

"I told you so."

Maka looked at Stein's haughty look and frowned. She wasn't happy but things could be worse. So maybe it was because of that she started crawling towards the man just 50 meters away from herself.

The room itself was nothing special and she had to wonder why, but was proved wrong about the specialty when she saw the chains, yellow paper seals, ropes, barriers and Asura's prone figure. No red pillars went up to the ceiling. The ropes and chains were connected to the floor and they were nailed down to the cement floor. Asura's hands were in wooden restraint in front of his figure and surrounding him there were ten different rings of magic barriers but they were carved onto the floor with ink and no bubble or something as cliché as that was made. It was cold and the demon god's breath came out as white vapor. Maka's face was surprised but then it changed to a determinate one.

´This is going to be troublesome...´ Stein thought and crouched in front of the first set of ink scribbling. He traced the letters with his fingers but nothing happened. Stein frowned and stood up. Maka crawled in before Stein had the audacity to react and pull her away but something weird happened.

The protective barriers didn't react at all.

Maka was already halfway done as Stein stepped into the first ring but nothing happened. He had the look of absolute confusion written on his face and Maka's groaning and panting was the only thing he heard in the room. Her broken ankles were in pain but the cold floor and the icy shackles soothed them remarkably well.

´Just a little more...´ Maka reached out and her hand briefly grazed the black hair locks. Encouraged by her act, a small smile crept on her face as Maka crawled closer and, finally, was able to touch Asura's hand in restraint.

´It's so cold...I wonder if he can catch a flu?´ Maka thought. She dragged her legs to be next to herself and settled down, right in front of the sleeping man. Carefully she extended her arms and embraced Asura.

How could such a simple act be so intimate, Maka didn't know but her hold got tighter until Asura's own face, covered by his black hair with vertical eyes, was only few inches away from her own. Maka turned her head towards Stein as if silently requesting he'd excuse himself for a moment.

"I'll be standing outside. The search party should reach here in ten minutes. You have until then." Stein lit a tobacco and gave a sideways glance to Maka who didn't return it.

"Okay. That'll be enough."

As Stein exited the cold cement room, leaving Maka and Asura alone, Maka toyed with the idea of kissing the man slightly. Just a small peck on the lips, nothing else. Indulged by her fantasies, Maka shot the sleeping face a dry look.

She had to somehow free this man and the only thing she was thinking was how to kiss him.

Great.

"Let's wake you up." Maka mumbled and pressed her forehead against Asura's, forgetting that there was a third eye (smack with caution) and she slammed her hard solid forehead right against it. Asura actually twitched and the third eye opened. ´Sorry...´ Maka gave the confused looking eye an apologetic look and came to a conclusion that it wouldn't work. Fucking third eye.

Discarding the previous plan for its obvious faults, Maka backed off a little and lowered herself to Asura's chest. The scrawny body didn't have many muscles but that didn't bother her. Connecting his right palm with that pale chest (the touch sent shivers down Maka's spine) she closed her eyes and searched for Asura's peculiar wavelength.

Maka suddenly jerked when scarves shot out from behind Asura and aimed for her throat. They slithered their way around her waist and fragile neck. One of them squeezed her broken ankle, earning a yelp from the girl. The heartbeat in Maka's chest was erratic and for a moment she forgot how to breath.

´I only have ten minutes...!´ squinting she let her head go against the Kishin's chest once again and this time squeezed her eyes shut and didn't let the scarves become a hindrance. Not even a moment late, she was drawn into his black space, the place between the body and soul.

_Drip, drip, drip..._

Maka felt cold. It felt like her blood circulation had been cut off and she couldn't move. The built up madness inside Asura was gnawing her ankles, with teeth biting into her flesh, Maka let out a scream. Her body jolted as they started climbing up against her legs.

´FREAKY BASTARD LET ME GO!´

The bugs started crawling under her nails and her pitiful attempt to scream inside her head went unheard. Maka was angry and she had multiple tick marks on her head. She couldn't use magic, she couldn't use her soul wavelength and she couldn't use black blood. It was like all her powers had been shut down from a switch. So Maka resorted into the most original way,

´I'm so gonna trash this bastard when he wakes!´ She clawed at the bugs and when they tried to jump onto her face, she hit them. Kicking, biting, scratching, hitting and headbutting all the madness away was definitely not something anyone would have expected. In fact using only willpower should have gotten her nowhere.

The blackness was beginning to fade away and the bugs were retreating. Maka squinted and panted when she noticed something moving in the distance. Soon the Black sea of blood was gone, leaving a white space in its wake.

"Is this...-Hey what's that!" she exclaimed when a bright firefly looking light hovered in front of her. Maka yelped and backed off, only to hit another bright light. The feeling coming from being in touch with one was pleasant and soft. She raised her head to look up and saw that hundreds of small lights were falling down from there. It was like being under a gigantic willow and the blue lights (when hitting Maka's face) trickled down her face.

´This must be Asura's inner world.´ Maka thought and tried to feel the owner of the place. A faint tingling crept up her spine as the insanity in the place made it hard for her to locate anything. Then a faint touch on her shoulder woke Maka up from her stupor. Maka turned around to face the familiar face of a man she had been worried over.

"What are you doing here girl?" Asura asked and Maka smiled at the nostalgic sound of being called a girl.

"I'm here to take you back." Maka said. She fought the urge to dive into his arms and smell Asura's unique odor. Surprisingly it was the Kishin who first stepped forward and scooped the girl into his arms.

"I'm inclined to stay here." Asura answered shortly and flipped them so that they were hovering in the air so that Asura was lounging like he was sitting on a deck chair and Maka was sitting on his hips. In all honesty, it made her embarrassed and she felt inclined to turn her head away to hide the red tinkling cheeks. Asura let go of her soon enough and rested his head against an arm that was practically just taking it's balance from nothing.

"Care to explain why suddenly you appear in here in _such _a hurry? Has something happened to my body perhaps?"

Maka's eyes widened, "You're being held as captive! You do remember that don't you?" she couldn't fight the horrible feeling in his chest. If he had forgotten...

"Held as captive? What in the world are you talking about? I let myself be captured and taken down to that blasted chamber only because the ache in my soul eases a little when I'm near my teacher's soul. I still have those fragments inside of me and here I've been trying to figure out how to get them out." Asura said stoically.

Maka took a deep breath from pure relief. "We still have to get you out from here. You can't stay here and you know it."

"What do you propose then?" Asura raised an eyebrow and dropped his arm to his belly."You do realize that we would have to battle Shinigami if we want to get out."

"No need to remind me, I've been battling him with words almost everyday, but first we need to restore your consciousness. Your hibernating state is bothering me and I don't think I could carry you out. Secondly, battling is reckless in our state! Sneaking out is a better option."

"You plan to sneak out with a demon god whose wavelength easily covers this whole planet and think no one's going to realize?" Asura asked with slight humor on his tone."Or then are you going to protectme by _biting_ them?"

"You saw me?" Maka shouted, abhorred that Asura had seen her fight insanity with such instinct based moves. Maka buried her face in her hands and reminded herself that it's okay and that it's not the end of the world.

"I could bite them." Asura whispered in Maka's ear, tugging her long locks behind her ear. Maka gave her a studied look before sighing and getting away from the man. Asura looked nothing more than amused and offered her one of his feral smiles.

"Let's go."

* * *

Stein hit yet another one with his soul wavelength. The search party had caught up with them and he was currently engaged in a battle with them. Stein was clearly outnumbered and he was having a little difficulty ensuing each of their moves, dodging their attacks and sometimes, offer a counterattack. One sneaky man had came from behind and stabbed Stein's leg so now it was bleeding. Gladly the professor used his stitches to stop the bleeding but not even a minute went by until he was thrown against the cement wall.

´Shit...´ Stein cursed and panted slightly. He got up and knocked five people out with his wavelength, soul menace.

"Careful! He's still a professor!" someone shouted and then they started to whisper to each other. An attack comes from the right side and it breaks the red pillar, covering Stein. Stein scowled and side stepped the attack easily, only to be ambushed from both sides. From the corner of his eye, Stein saw how two people tried to get in the secret room that he had shown Maka.

"Get away from there!" Stein shouted and shot his soul thread sutures at the two ignorant men. The threads traveled across the floor and stitched their legs to the floor, making them fall to heir faces. Stein was so preoccupied with this task that he didn't realize that someone had sneaked behind him and then hit him with a large hammer in. Head bleeding and vision dizzy, Stein didn't see that the same meister came to his front and made him take another blow. Stein gagged up spit and had air blown out from his lungs. He flew across the floor, panting sheavily.

"We're taking him to custody." a woman said and Stein felt how his arms were being tied behind his back and then a heavy piece of metal adjusted on both sides of his wrists as if a hair clip. "Dr. Franken Stein, care to explain?" the same woman asked disbelievingly. Yeah, sure it's hard to believe a professor no less had went against the laws and was helping the people on the execution list.

"Gimme a cigaret." Stein said hoarsely but the man next to him obeyed, earning a glare from the woman in front of him. He lit it and Stein took a deep breath, letting the smoke fill his lungs.

Suddenly, in the middle of the interrogation, a familiar feeling crept up Stein's spine. He raised his head to see men going to help the ones that were stitched on the floor, but they were swept off from their feet when Maka walked out from the room, Asura's little three eyed electricity bugs supporting her ankles.

Maka turned her head to take a look at the situation she was in. "I don't recall ten minutes being spent?"

Stein stared her in trance for a while before cracking a smile, "You've got a bloody bad clock inside your head."

Maka looked offended and when a man tried to touch her shoulder, maybe to see if she was real, Maka's hand automatically shot up and gave the man a backhand punch without even ceasing her eye contact with Stein.

"How noisy..." Asura walked out from the doorway. He put a hand on his mouth before yawning and rubbed his hair. Only after he seemed to realize he was the point of attention, "Oh... sorry. Keep going, we'll just go now." He dragged Maka away by her collar. The search party of course had had no idea that Kishin Asura was here nor did they even know about the secret chamber. Maka had now realized what she was doing and she protested.

"We can't just leave Stein to them! Let's go save him."

Asura turned around and raised his 'eyebrow' questionably. "When did you become so passionate of saving others? I thought you were past that already."

"Shut up!" Maka flamed red but Asura took the bugs away from Maka's ankles, letting pain shoot through her being. Maka grimaced and created a sorry look towards Stein who in fact was still smoking and waved them with his foot. The search party was still petrified so Asura took this chance and jumped to the rafters and started jumping away, Maka secured in his scarves.

"There they go." Stein muttered and this got the 'oh shit we let them go!' look bloom on the party's faces.

"What are you standing there for? Go after them!" the leader, a small bear of a man, shouted and the rest of the people seemed to come out of it. Half of them stayed with the leader and started taking Stein away. He could have probably escaped from their hands but why do so when he could also let himself be taken out from this blasted maze and then escape in the crowd since Kishin and his little devil's faces ought to raise slight panic.

Maka wasn't really enjoying the ride she was subjected to. Still she kept her mouth shut and didn't complain but she did remember one, fairly useful thing, "Asura hey, there's a secret passage leading out from this room if you turn to right from that six armed monument."

"How do you know this?" Asura asked, being skeptical of the whole thing. "Who told you?"

"Stein did. When he was carrying me, he mentioned a passage used in emergencies." Maka told and they took a sharp turn to right, Asura using his scarves to go around like spider-man. The search party quickly lost sign of them and they went to the wrong direction, leaving Maka and Asura at peace. Asura's movements were tugging and Maka felt like she was going to be sick until they really arrived to a door. It was built between two red pillars and it had two ominous words written on it and they were enough for Maka to change her mind.

DEATH ROOM

"I think we should go by the original way after all." Maka quickly said but Asura dismissed the warning.

"Why in the world. We have to fight him either way and this is just asking it to be faster." Asura shrugged and opened the door. Wooden staircase was in front of him and by the looks of it, it hadn't been used in many years. The little spiders and made their spiderwebs created a spooky feeling and a board fell from the tenth step. The staircase didn't look like it would end soon and it continued into the darkness right above them.

"How many meters are we under the ground again?"

"I really think we should go back." Maka said hastily. But Asura, being the stubborn arse he is, started walking up, the door, threateningly closing behind them. In a matter of seconds, they were cloaked in blackness and Maka was glad Asura was carrying her because her ankles couldn't have taken the stress of going up _these._

_Crack_.

"Sweet god!" Asura shouted and staggered, trying to regain his balance. The step under them had cracked and his white feet was now stuck in the hole on the step.

"I told you these were rotten! Let's fly." Maka complained and clutched tighter onto the scarves holding her up. Asura scowled and yanked his leg free, no doubt getting splinters on the way but the small scratches and the bigger wound quickly regenerated and it was like nothing happened.

"No. That would make my wavelength rise up too fast and no doubt catch that bastard's attention." The Kishin mused and started going up again. Maka was crying inwardly that her warnings had been cast off without a second thought. Suddenly she started feeling pretty warm which should have been impossible since the cold and robust stone walls on each side of them created chilliness. Maka raised her head and her hand brushed against the scarf holding her up. It was warm.

Maka's mouth was slightly open and she closed her eyes, also shutting her mouth. She searched for something and quickly found it. There was a red energy coating them both and it provided warmth. Maka opened her eyes and tried to make anything out in the pure darkness. She felt herself blush and quickly averted her eyes and looked down. Very thoughtful of him.

Asura let his three eye bugs go to upper levels and inform him when he was close to the end. His eyes allowed him to see better in dark places than normal human and saw very clearly, although he almost wished he couldn't. The steps right before them were so full of mold and threatened to fall off from any sound or move didn't really invite you to step on them.

Asura stopped walking and looked troubled (if anyone could see his face). He didn't even need to turn around to know that the girl was dozing off.

* * *

Death the Kid was sitting in the Death Room and having a cup of very foul tasting coffee. Something Mandelin or was it Mandolin...?

The boy had a blanket around himself and he shivered. He had just, thirteen minutes ago witnessed an execution. The way his father destroyed the souls and then put them into his waiting mouth to be swallowed. The grotesque way that his father ate them was revolting. Kid shivered and took a sip from the hot cup. He almost burnt his tongue but withdrew it in time. Not feeling like he even wanted to drink something, Kid put the cup down onto the floor and tightened the blanket around him. He wanted to be alone for a moment.

Why his father wanted to show him _that, _Kid had no idea. Shinigami-sama was currently talking to Azusa about the paper Justin had given him. Azusa had analyzed it so they discussed if Shibusen could make something similar without deleting Noah's location from the paper.

Honestly, right now Kid only wanted to go to sleep and maybe play that BREW, which Kid kept in his drawer, was rube's cube and try to-

"..."

No...the first thing he'd do would be to smash that demon tool against a wall and try to break it. Kid recalled the days before the BREW activated accidentally on his father's important day of getting his soul away from Death City. He was partly to blame for his father's unreasonable methods of punishments. Suddenly it felt like the father Kid had been with all those years was nothing but an illusion.

Which Shinigami was the real one?

The kind and joking or the cruel and merciless. Making his head hurt with thinking, Kid tousled his perfectly combed hair and looked desperate. He knew of the rising resistance inside their numbers. A few Spartoi members were already ready to abandon Shibusen, the order, and join forces with the witches. The looming start of war was enough to cause anyone to make hasty decisions. Also more people had began to doubt Shibusen and someone even searched for the Kishin, ready and willing to fall into madness. This brought forth another problem.

´Father said Asura's Kishin state is still incomplete. He was the first tainted soul to ever reach the God levels so father didn't know of the Kishin's evolution in the first place.´ Kid pondered and loosened the blanket around him. He was beginning to get hot.

How was it possible for Asura to still be incomplete as a Kishin after he had eaten millions of human and pre-kishin souls. Even after checking all the books in the library, there wasn't a single text that told anything clear about Kishins. It was like it was the forbidden word. A taboo, but that was very stupid. Someone must have written a document regarding Kishin and its soul boundaries.

´I wonder if that's the reason why my father's so uptight nowadays.." Kid thought and in his daydreaming moment, a crack resounded from inside the room. Kid startled and quickly turned around, the blanket dropping to his waist.

"Is there someone there?" No one answered. Kid gulped and took the blanket from the ground and put it around himself. The season was getting colder and they were getting closer to the end of the year.

"Hello?"

From behind the giant mirror, another grating sound came. Kid looked suspiciously at the mirror which didn't seem to vibrate at all. Kid gathered his Shinigami pride and courage and walked to the mirror. He let his hand trail its surface and only his own reflection stared back at him.

Another grating sound and a crack.

Suddenly he realized that the sound was coming from behind the mirror and bravely looked behind the gigantic Death Mirror.

There was a door and it was ajar.

´Was there a door here?´ Kid thought. He was being very skeptical about this. He walked to the door and looked inside. An old staircase, made from rotting wood that had mold on the steps and spider webs in the doorway, went to the complete darkness below. Kid squinted but failed to see nothing. Then his attention was dragged elsewhere, the cold air coming from the void made him tighten the blanket around himself once again, as tree eyed electric bugs started coming out from the doorway. He shouted from surprise and fell on his rear to the floor. The bugs didn't seem to mind him and walked over him, into the death room. One bug was apparently too lazy to go with the rest and made itself comfortable on Kid's head.

"YAHHOO!"

Black Star jumped from the sheer pit of blackness with Tsubaki in her chain scythe mode. Behind them, Maka was thrown onto the floor. She growled in annoyance but didn't get up. Kid noticed the black blood seeping from her ankles and was even more dumbfounded. Asura walked in last and he looked absolutely horrible. Spider webs in his hair, smashed cockroach corpses under his feet, dust on his whole being, splinters in his legs and feet and his hands were full of mold.

"I feel disgusting." Asura made a face and soon exploded in a burst of red light.

"Dude, there are people here!" Black Star shouted while the loop (Kid included) was thrown backwards. Maka, quite nastily, flew against a grave mark and something in her back said crack.

Of course Asura still stood perfectly fine at his place since he wasn't going to self destruct. "Ah, I do think I overdid it this time." He looked troubled and trotted over to Maka while Black Star was throwing curses at him. Tsubaki transformed back to human and seemed to be worried over the fact that Black Star's arm was cut slightly.

"I think you need to put a plaster on it. Just to cover it from infections."

"GREAT MEN DON'T GET INFECTIONS!" Black Star bellowed and started jumping from one grave mark to another. The tree eyed bug was still on top of Kid's head and it seemed to be sleeping.

"I..I think...my b-back's broken..." Maka smiled with vengeance.

"I'll make it up to you." Asura said and hit Maka's back with a chop. She barked in pain. Nevertheless, he still started his own (very weird) healing methods to start the circulation of black blood in Maka's blood stream so that she could fix herself.

"I'm going to take revenge in bed." Maka suddenly cackled. Asura's face showed absolute disgust to these words Black had said and Tsubaki went bright red.

"Asshole." Maka scowled at her split personality inwardly.

"I love you too honey. But I love him more." Black laughed but then frowned. The black dress wasn't activating like it usually did. "Hey you."

"Hm?" Asura looked impassive.

"Fix this."

"Bugger off."

Kid stared at the group in front of him. What in the world had just happened? The Kishin was apparently free, again, Maka was hurt, again, the obnoxious ninja and his partner seemed to help someone not from Shibusen, again. Kid felt his face twitch and his lip was having trouble staying down as he couldn't believe what he saw. He created a glance to the door behind him and it was still open. Except now that it made a loud screech and shut itself with a loud bang. That seemed to draw everyone's attention but Kid wasn't deemed important so they continued their chatting.

"I think we need to get out." Black Star commented and watch Maka groan from pain and her _lovely_ split personality appeared to be M and laughed. If anyone's interested at this point of how Black Star and Tsubaki are here: they accidentally found the secret door and decided it was a great place to hide from the attacking unit. Black Star of course wanted to examine the place which lead them to find Maka and Asura and they went by them at the staircase since Black jumped around and didn't quite use the old stairs.

"We can run to the east exit and try to go unnoticed." Tsubaki offered, "but the market street is on that side so we should use alleys to go by."

"Huh? You two tagging along? I thought only we were wanted..." Maka trailed off and once again, let out a pained gasp as Asura twisted her back. A resounding crack was there and he bit his thumb and let black blood ooze out and go to Maka's mouth.

"Shut up. You're not healed yet." Asura glared.

"I could always carry you all out." Black Star said and grinned. The loot completely ignored his crazy idea and shot other as crappy escape plans down.

"Look, couldn't we just walk away? Peacefully with no fight. I've got a patient over here unlike you." Asura scowled and threw Maka over his shoulder like a potato sack.

"Yeah...fighting seems like a bad idea since Spartoi is here, Death Scythes are here, all the loyal people to Shibusen are here-Well except Tsar's not here. You know the Russian death Scythe. Africa's being stubborn as always and doesn't come. One would think he hates Shibusen..." Tsubaki sighed and frowned. Asura said nothing and walked off to the guillotine road. Black Star and Tsubaki soon followed, leaving bewildered Kid behind.

"Wh-What in the world just happened?" Kid exclaimed. The bug on top of his head stirred and bit Kid for causing it to wake. But the boy didn't seem to mind a small blood trail going down to his eyes. Well it seemed like they were going to escape without anyone noticing. Kid remembered his father's words that he shouldn't get into more trouble. A lot of times, just because of that order, Kid felt awfully left behind from the groups. His knuckles turned white when he gripped the blanket on the ground and stood up. Sprinting after Maka's group, Kid accidentally tripped over his hot drink but now wasn't the time to be thinking about coffee.

* * *

"Please! You have to help him!" Gopher begged the older man in front of him. Shinigami-sama was wearing his mask and cheery attitude as usual. It really didn't look like he had just devoured souls.

"Yes...But I don't know how to cancel madness. If it has decided to change Soul-kun's memory, I can't do anything. Is there something wrong with his body?"

"N-No...but he's really pale. He seems to be mumbling the girl's name..I-I don't know, it's scary..." Gopher looked distraught. They were both going towards Death Room as to have a palaver of what to do with Gopher now that Soul was sick.

"I should call Stein then. He'll take a look at your partner and maybe even do something about that madness taking over soul's memory." Shinigami-sama turned around the corner and went up the stairs. Gopher rushed after him.

"Do you know where he is? I'll go to him immediately and take him to Evans!" Gopher ran to the front of Shinigami, blocking his way.

"I don't know Gopher. Last time Stein was guarding Asura's chambers. He should come to the surface soon enough." the god went by Gopher to continue his journey. Gopher was still angry and demanded an answer.

"Where does he appear? I could go and wait him there."

"You can just take your time in my room. I'm sure he'll appear there to make his report sooner or later." Shinigami-sama answered and they finally arrived to the door. Shinigami opened it and stepped inside, Gopher right behind him. They lazily trotted the guillotine path. Shinigami-sama raised his head to look outside from the round windows and Gopher ran into him as the man abruptly stopped. Cursing, the boy walked past him.

The sky outside was bright blue but from the window, Death could see how something very fast flew by. He frowned behind his mask and started suspecting witches but that wasn't possible. His soul had been warded against them and he should know whenever one entered.

´Guess it's my imagination.´ he thought and resumed his walking. He hadn't even had the chance to enjoy the peaceful walk when he heard Gopher's grigori wings being activated. Being highly skeptical that someone uninvited had come here as you couldn't get in without his permission, Shinigami-sama let out an annoyed shout, "I swear if you take your stress out on my guillotines I'll make you eat a part of Eibon's book." just because Gopher thought Eibon and Noah were the same thing. It was a very effective threat usually as the boy would go as white as sheet.

Never in his whole life did he think he would run into the people he most wanted captured when he walked on. There was Gopher, growling at Maka whose arse was the only thing he saw as Asura's brilliant carrying style was unlike to show anything else. Asura merely stare the boy and dared him to make any moves with his eyes. It was quite effective. Black Star had Tsubaki transformed into a weapon and he had taken a battle stance.

"My, my, my..." Asura's impassive stare moved from the boy to his former teacher. This was inconvenient. Never had they thought they would run to Shinigami this quick. Quickly analyzing the situation he deemed it equal. Now they had no way to get out from here as you needed a permission to get out as the girl had told him.

"Teacher." he politely greeted. Death seemed bewildered.

"I never thought you could get free. Again."

"I had help." Asura didn't even twitch under those black hole eyes. However, he seemed to notice the scorching glare aimed at the girl's ass.

"What's going on?" Maka asked. He had heard Shinigami-sama's voice but there was another soul which she didn't really-AH! "It's Gopher!"

"Correct Albarn, Correct! Now let me have the pleasure to pull your grigori wings out from your soul. I guarantee it hurts like hell!" The boy jumped at them. Asura dodged and jumped up onto the guillotine.

"You tore his wings from his soul?" he asked incredulously. Maka felt her cheeks redden and sweat pick up as the corner of her mouth twitched.

"Just a spur of a moment..."

"Talk about tasteless..." Asura rolled his eyes but was quickly forced to stop as Shinigami charged forward. Black Star defended them, throwing Tsubaki in her Shuriken mode at Shinigami but it was easily dodged. The great fight began and blows were dealt and received. Gopher attacked mostly Maka who was being protected by Asura's hand as she couldn't fight. The problem was Shinigami as he kept shooting wavelength at Asura which the Kishin countered with his own. The room shook as Shinigami's robes took a tattered edge and a black scythe appeared out of them. Kid walked in at this moment. He couldn't believe what he saw.

Asura whispered something to Maka and then opened his mouth to shoot a beam from Vajra. Kid was thrown back from the sheer power behind the blast.

"Don't destroy my room!" Shinigami-sama shouted, feeling angry that his precious ground was being demolished. Gopher crashed against Asura as he was about to shoot another beam.

"What?" his hold on Maka loosened and Gopher forcefully pulled her to him by her hair. Maka shrieked in pain as the wings broke some of her ribs by squeezing her. Throwing her off into the air, Maka tried to turn herself to activate her wings but as the wings appeared in her back this time, they gnawed her skin and burned the flesh and she let out another scream of pain but didn't fall to the ground. Gopher took this as a chance and shot after her, throwing a punch to her stomach, sending Maka flying in the air. The blue wings in Maka's back started to deform and it was ugly to look. Suddenly Maka felt breeze touch something it shouldn't touch. As she tried to stand up in the air, she realized that the skin on her back had been burned off and the muscles received the wind. It hurt. It felt like thousands of nails were being dug into her back. Gopher kicked her side before Maka had the change to blink. With wide eyes, holding her left hand with her right, Maka was sent flying towards the ground and she hit it. A loud bang was heard in the room as a small crater appeared from behind the smoke. Gopher panted, feeling adrenaline rush through his veins.

"FEEL THAT ALBARN? DO YOU FEEL THE BLOWS I MADE YOU TAKE FOR NOAH-SAMA AND MYSELF!" Gopher bellowed and smiled a cruel smile. Insanity cackled in the air. Gopher laughed and went to finish his job.

A deep shock wave hit him and he stopped dead on his tracks. ´W-What is this...?´ The other participants stopped too, to see what was wrong. The room's blue glow ceased as it shook with tremors. The ceiling changed to red and the ground was full of violent winds as they didn't really destroy the environment but carried off something far more terrifying.

It wasn't madness.

It was fear. They carried the screams of unknown victims and red energy and white electricity crackled in the area. The smoke around the crater was blown off but you couldn't really see anything. Something was literally seething red energy as it coiled around the crater and the ground started to erode.

Gopher felt scared. He felt his eyes widen and sweat seep from his forehead to his chin and he shook. He had never felt anything like this. Maka was on the ground, bleeding and injured. She seemed to be unconscious but the _thing _above her was what scared Gopher.

Shinigami had never seen anything quite like this. This mixture of rage and terror made his skin crawl and head spin. He had never felt scared, never. But with this terrifying wavelength, fear took his heart into its icy hands and clawed it. The eight warlords possessed the emotion their name carried and Asura was terror. He was a coward and spread his own power but this wasn't the familiar wavelength he knew. It was as if his sleeping brain cells that felt fear sprung to life and his body knew what was to come. Death bared his teeth at the threat even though it wasn't directed at him. Black Star's eyes were wide with terror.

"What's happening?" he questioned himself. Soon the thing raised his head from the ground. It was protectively over Maka and scorching red eyes with eyes inside burned Gopher like nothing else had before. They lacked feeling, they lacked emotion other than pure white rage. Gopher felt tears go down his cheeks as scarves came closer to him.

"Back off brat." Asura mouthed. He looked like some monster from your nightmares. No outer changes but the way he spoke, the way he looked and the sheer power coming from his as waves was terrifying.

Gopher knew he had done it now.

* * *

**A/N: **We've been having thunderstorms on daily basis! You should've seen those downpours and lighting. Also I don't think I have writers block since I know exactly what I'm about to write always, it's just that I'm lazy. Take this chapter as an example. I had it written halfway done a month ago and just didn't finish it because I was busy dying from the heat, drawing and eating apple pie. And then I was lazy. And I keep getting comments on DA about how people love this story! Thank you! You're the light of my life :)

Sideways is almost over. I hope you readers stick by this story until the very bitter end. Also I haven't been updating LoM but after this I'll try to finish it. LoM is a short story anyway. It'll probably last only about...15 chapters. Maybe less. And finally about pairings, I've been in so much contact with Asura/Maka now that it's impossible to imagine Maka with anyone else. I haven't been Soul/Maka supporter anyway but now that think about their relationship merged with romance, is just so weird (no offense!). Sideways has many spelling errors. I just read it yesterday. After I'm done with this story, I'll beta the chapters myself, as it seems that I make mistakes seldom anymore.

I'm trying to hit the 100 review mark and only 30 reviews are needed so...please? You can ask something and I'll answer, if nothing else :)

**R&R**


	28. The Battle of primary Fear

**A/N: **I have FINALLY gathered myself up and decided to write this to the end. Sorry for those who had to wait for this long, how unbecoming of me! I have lost my Beta. There I said it. There will be a little of Asura's past revealed here :D I'm not too sure how I wrote it (yeah, sounds pretty stupid) but the situation in the city goes like this: full of people panicked people some people are evacuated royal fight and some are killed the city's never empty of people. And I've completely destroyed Mabaa's character. Forgive me.

"..." = speaking

`...` = thinking

normal speech

_This _or _This_ = flashbacks

* * *

28. The Battle of primary Fear

"_..And in my time, I had found a boy in the slums but he didn't look like he had come from there. No, he looked like he had come from the far lands of East that were yet unknown to me and my men."_

* * *

"Geko~...I do hope she's alright." Eruka wailed and a hand descended upon her shoulder. It was Free the werewolf and he looked just as anxious as Eruka.

"Don't worry. I know that little runt won't be killed. But we should go now frog witch." Free shoved Eruka forward to make her move. Eruka's wobbly legs took her surprisingly far and she started running after Free who was already ahead of her because of his long strides. They went into Death City unnoticed - still quite noticing the witches pooling from all sides - and disappeared into one alleys.

Outside it was the sun which warmed the ground and people and made it easy for the witches to slip past Death City's defenses with their soul protect still on. Mabaa had cast a spatial spell on the city so now it was completely secluded from outer world except if you stepped outside the city border. Whatever damage would be done to the city, it would not affect the real world and she was glad of that. When they fought against Shinigami they'd need every single help they could get without mixing the outer world in.

The consequences could be severe.

Mabaa herself was hovering on a flying carpet above the houses. Different kinds of witches took over the town and they came cascading against the death barriers. Witches from the far East had sought her alliance as did the witches of West who she already had under her command. Witches of South had almost declined her command and only a fraction of their power was here presented before her eyes. Those vile creatures of North refused to come and they didn't even answer her call. It would not have been surprising for her to receive a block with an ax trusted in it and decorated with spit as an answer since Mabaa had always had a little animosity with those barbarians.

The real people didn't really mind them as long as they didn't attack them. Old men were now often seen staring at the sorceresses because of their revealing outfits. Soon the ones with broom came flying forward and trusted themselves through Shinigami's soul, and they only stopped when they arrived next to Mabaa.

"Do we have everyone we could get?" Mabaa asked.

"No. About thirty witches are still missing and a few are currently lost. It seems like there was some sort of disruption in the magnetic field in this state. Their magical compasses didn't work. I sent Mimosa to get them." A witch who looked like she had come straight out from Rio's carnival answered after she had bowed. Mabaa snorted.

"Just like him to do that. I should have expected it. Have you taken control of the southern side of the city yet? I hear western and northern are already taken care of."

"Not yet. A rescue party which went underground a few hours ago seemed to have ascended and a fight had broken out. We managed to take out most of them but there's a three star meister among them. We also came across a very...weird man." The witch shivered and her friend commented, raising commotion and others wanted to voice out their opinions too.

"Quiet! Where is this man now?" Mabaa asked and the silence was immediate.

"He..he escaped. He said he had some work to do and just...left. I put a tracker on him. He seemed to have realized its whereabouts but didn't take it off. I have understood that he's on our side." the Rio witch commented and flew down when she saw her own people get into arguments with the local fish seller. Mabaa hummed. So that mad scientist had finally broke free from Death's clutches. She chuckled in delight. ´We have taken your most priciest meister from you now.´

Mabaa took out a horn from her robes and checked it was safe and sound. The horn resembled medieval hunting horn with its mighty decoration and its jewelery like leash which went around Mabaa's neck. The witches close to Mabaa shielded their ears when they noticed the instrument and Mabaa who was still sitting on the rug, lowered the collar that concealed her mouth and blew into the horn.

* * *

A sound of horn reached the ears of Death. He whipped his head around and looked out from the small and round windows on the sky ceiling. Now that he focused on finding something, he really did. When at least three hundred witch souls got into his radar, he scowled. The amount was still increasing with every minute but the most strongest soul got his attention almost immediately.

´That Mabaa...what in the world is she hoping to accomplish with this?´ Death's scowl deepened and he was forced to dodge when a grave mark came flying towards him, fully intent on cutting his head off. Kid wasn't able to hold on any longer and fell to his knees, letting his young soul be exposed to the enormous amounts of insanity. Black lines began to rise from his chin, over his mouth and he got a count like clothing with perfect symmetry. Shinigami wasn't a moment too late to jump down from the air and knock Kid out when his son's eyes began to roll to the back of his head. Another red wave hit the older god and threw him against a red guillotine pillar, making the structure crash down to earth.

There was a trail of saliva going down Kid's chin and he started shaking. Death was shocked. ´His soul's going to break!´ He exclaimed in his mind when he truly understood the gravity of the situation. Making his final decision at that moment, even ignoring if there were hundreds of witches outside, Death secured Kid in his embrace and flew over to the window. The black scythe he used for executions appeared in his hand and he broke through the ceiling, flying into the red sky.

In the Death Room, Gopher was trying to win his wright over Asura. But he backed off until his back came into contact with the clouds in the ceiling. He should not go any further or he would not be able to return. The rule of Death Room was absolute. And now that even its master had abandoned it, the room felt suddenly dark and repressive. It was changing its master from Shinigami to Asura who was unbeknownst to himself, carving his_ soul seal_* into the room. Gopher would know that anywhere since Noah had tried to do the same with the book of Eibon but without succeeding. Suddenly Gopher found himself thinking of Soul and how they used to spent their time together. Was Stein already there to take care of the albino? Had he already been carried far away and they'd never see each other again? The thought made Gopher's stomach clench and he was brought out from his reverie by Asura's scream.

An inhuman scream that broke all things in the room, made Gopher cover his ears before he was blown off from the room - slammed against the ceiling and going trough it. The red wavelength made rust spread to the grave marks and crosses and they were broken, eradicated from the room. Guillotines fell to their sides before they rose up to the air just like few boulders as three eyes danced there instead of clouds and blue sky which was turning to yellow with grassland below.

Maka's blood colored the ground and it was tainting Asura's hands. The ground under them felt rough and slippy and sharp and it hurt. His chest hurt. He felt like vomiting and the third eye on Asura's forehead was frantically looking around. There was no one around. The panic in the school was almost palpable and he heard the souls calling desperately for help. The building shook and the sky ceiling crumpled away. All the boulders were destroyed though and Asura's red wave of wavelength shook everything.

He was scared and angry. He hurt all over and he hadn't wanted to come out from his own world. The world of the tree and souls and his inner self. Why did this human girl make him wake up? Why did she drag him here and why was he so angry? Asura was extremely confused so he gripped the sides of his head and screamed. Maka would have screamed too if she had been awake as her eardrums were close to being exploded. But the girl heard nothing, saw nothing and felt nothing. She wasn't even there, but only a flicker away from death.

Asura buried his forehead against Maka's and fell on top of her, his right arm still trying to keep him up.

He had no idea human skin could feel this cold. But Maka was very cold, prone on the ground and blood seeping from her mouth and ankles. Wrist broken and bruises and cuts everywhere. The Demon god didn't know why but when he looked at this young girl, this insignificant little girl who had traveled with him-

_(Had been with him, had laughed at him, had scolded him, had liked him, had hated him, had saved him, had loved him, had been his companion for so little time, had been his enemy this whole time)_

his chest gave this awful throb, as if a blade had been trusted through him but it's been so long since he was gravely injured that this example was bad for Asura cannot remember pain, cannot remember what it's like to feel anything else than negative emotions and a flicker of amusement.

"Save..me...Girl! Save me, it hurts. Open your eyes and save me!" Asura shouted and he felt something being ripped out from his soul.

_(And he's not aware of the red skies outside, not aware Death's anger because Kid's soul is wavering, not aware of the dull throb pain that Maka sends to him through her soul, not aware of the witches that are beginning to pool out from the nooks and crannies into the room and not aware of the screams he's hearing and causing because right now there is only the girl and him.)_

"Ma'am! He's crashing! We cannot get any closer!" One witch shouted to Mabaa who was trying to stay on her mat in the air. Mabaa was shocked since it's been over a century when she has felt anyone produce this kind of hate towards any living being so that she's partially thrown off guard when insanity assaults the barriers of her mind and breaks quite a few of them but never penetrating her core.

Dammit it felt like she had been punched in the gut.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

"Take the weak minded away from here! The Kishin's down there!" The Rio witch shouted and she seemed stressed and gripped her hair.

"So they hadn't escaped..." Mabaa muttered and collected herself. Just like that she seemed to be the fearless witch queen again and so she ordered her troops. Half of Shibusen had been blown off and there were children on the ground, moaning in pain until they were collected by Shibusen's own troops. They waited until the city was completely devoid of every citizen before continuing with their plan.

Asura seemed to drop even further into insanity and it swallowed him, gnawed his soul, made him a sputtering and drooling fool on the ground. But instead of being in that state long he bared his teeth in anger and growled. The familiar sphere like shape was beginning to swallow him up and then Asura realized that he was unconsciously creating a barrier around them and the outer world. As his face was buried in his hands, Asura had hard time getting rid of the throb in his temples. Suddenly he knew what was going on and it made his eyes widen.

"No...no this...THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!" He roared and threw his arm to the side, making a powerful shock wave destroy the floor and the yard in front of the school. Maka suddenly coughed and it got Asura's attention.

"You...are you alive?" Asura asked but by the sudden wave of pain in his soul he doubled over Maka again, making her breaths come out raspy. She had to steady the rise and fall of her chest to be able to get some oxygen into her lungs. Asura's body was shaking violently and it seemed like he was going to have a seizure of some sort.

"What's wrong with you?" Maka grunted and tried to move the man away from her. Their position had a little effect on her now and her cheeks didn't flare red, even though Asura's hand were somehow very close to groping her accidentally.

Kishin shouted in pain as something shot against his back, spraying black blood all over the rocks around. Maka gasped and she looked shocked.

"What? Hey, what's wrong!"

"You...g-get out of here...girl...now...!" Asura whispered and gritted his teeth together. The wounds on his back were healing fast. Some of the black substance dropped onto Maka's clothes and face.

"No! I'm not leaving you here!" she shouted and looked behind Asura's back. She didn't see anyone but the smoke trail that had probably come from the blast. It went beyond the wreckage of death room and only now did Maka see the witches hovering above.

"Asura! The witches have come here. They're probably going to fight..." Maka trailed on and grunted again. Asura nicely pushed his body to the side on to the cracking yellow floor with a little grass on top of it and Maka let out a sigh of relief and jumped when she heard a voice above her.

"I hope you're not too badly bruised, geko." Eruka said. She was carrying a suitcase, red one, and didn't seem to be sorry for her in the slightest. This irked Maka but the surprise of seeing this particular witch here overcame her ire.

"What are you doing here? What about Medusa? Is Chrona with her? I- dammit we need help!" Maka shouted but didn't try to get up. That's when she noticed Free who was talking to the Mizune sisters. They separated and each little mouse witch ran to different direction.

"Is there a problem? Your legs don't look too good, geko." Eruka commented the blue ankles and the broken right leg. Maka hadn't even noticed it was broken. "I came here prepared anyway," She sighed and opened the case after mumbling the spell. The case opened and inside there was medical equipment but also a number of things Maka couldn't name. They looked so bizarre that she didn't even know if they were of any use. Free came closer to them when Eruka was treating Maka who had been forced to lie back.

"How are you?"

"Fine. What you two doing here?" Maka asked. Free scratched his chin.

"We didn't get any orders. This one just wanted to com here," Free pointed at Eruka whose cheeks went pink. Maka looked flabbergasted. Suddenly the werewolf seemed to smell something and sharply turned his head towards north.

"Where is the Kishin? I thought I smelled him when we were coming here?" Free asked and lifted and eyebrow in suspicion. A blood trail, followed by something Maka didn't know, was on the ground as a little sinuous track. Maka's eyes widened.

"He was just here!" She shouted and frantically looked around, making Eruka shout at her to stay still. Indeed the Kishin was nowhere to be seen and Maka feared the worst. "I have to find him..." She tried to get up but her efforts were nullified by both of her weird companions. Eruka was standing over her with her tiny hands on her sides.

"You aren't going anywhere! You can't help him in your state. You'd be more a burden than help, and you can't even walk! In the end you'll just be making your condition worse you idiot, geko."

"She's right you know. I'll go after him. I think I have a fairly decent idea of where he went." Free proposed and looked at Maka. A sudden wind froze her limbs and dust went into her eyes. Free was giving her that serious look that promised he'd do it no matter what. Maka also felt a sob in her throat but swallowed. Biting her lower lip she looked down on her lap where her hands were squeezing the hem of her Spartoi skirt, knuckles white.

"Thank you..." She whispered and Free shot after the blood and smell. He changed to his werewolf form in the middle way and let his nose guide him, leaving Eruka and Maka alone. Eruka looked back at Maka solemnly but the scythe didn't know the emotions that swelled under that mask of calmness.

Hell she was becoming old.

"Open your mouth." Eruka instructed and went over to her case once more. Maka did as was told but closed the mouth when it was becoming dry. Eruka took a glowing object from the very bottom of the case and handed handed it to Maka. "Eat it. It'll make you feel better."

Maka didn't know what it was that was being offered to her and took it. Munching it in her mouth, her eyes widened when she recognized the flavor. Instantly spitting the thing out from her mouth, she glared at Eruka.

"What the hell are you playing at? I'm not eating souls!"

"Then you won't get better. Those will give you enough strength for me to transport you to Medusa where you will be taken care of. Otherwise you'll die in the transportation." Eruka answered and picked the blue soul that was seriously mutilated to look more like real food.

"I'm not eating it." Maka said defiantly and turned her head away. Eruka took hold of her chin, using her magic to hold her still. Maka tried to lash out with hers but only deep pain in her stomach greeted her.

"See? You can't even do a simple countering spell. Now eat up runt, geko." She kept pressing the blue soul against Maka's lips while the other tried to fight. Eruka used a bit of force to force the defiant mouth open but succeeded in the end and forced the blue light past Maka's last defense. Afterward she clamped Maka's mouth shut, making it difficult for her to breath and slammed her against the ground.

"Swallow it. Swallow it now!" Eruka shouted while Maka tried to pry her off with her hands. The world was spinning and she was feeling extremely...dry.

´I'm so sorry mother. I'm sorry I failed you.´

And she could swear there was a warm and gentle touch on her forehead and voice whispering in her ear, _'It's alright sweetheart, no one's going to blame you and I forgive you.'_

* * *

His father's arms felt cold and jumping from roof to roof wasn't very comfortable.

"Father, can we get down!" Kid actually shouted. Shinigami, whose hair was by the way getting into Kid's eyes and it was annoying, gave him a sorry look and jumped down from the chimney he had been standing on.

"I'm sorry Kid. I don't know any other way to keep you safe." His father apologized and true it was indeed. Death City was in shambles and its former glory was nowhere to be seen. Kid saw a body lying ten meters away from himself. His father quickly covered his eyes with his cape when he noticed where Kid was looking at.

"I'm sorry I never-"

"It's alright," Kid interrupted, "I'm not a child anymore. I'm used to seeing them."

This answer wasn't the least bit comforting and Shinigami felt guilt eat up his guts. He was a poor father and no one could object to that. Letting his emotions take the best of him, he lowered himself so that his body covered his son's and he hugged Kid. How many years had it been since they had last hugged? Too many. But this precious father-son time, even though it was in the middle of a battlefield, was precious to him. Kid had a hand pressed against the place where his father's heart should have been. There was, however, no pumping feeling, only a hollow place.

"Alright. That's enough for now. We should get out from here." Shinigami said, but didn't release his hold. It was Kid who did that.

"What? And leave the citizens here to suffer? No! I'll not tolerate that, it'd be most vilest breaking of rules and my morals." Kid argued, "We can't leave them here, father."

"My son, you don't understand, these people-"

"Are alive! They are alive and deserve protection from you. I don't know what you've done with Liz and Patty but since they are not here, you're obligated to do your job as a Shinigami."

"You don't understand. Kid, the people that live here in Death City are already dead." Shinigami answered. Kid stilled. The old god watched as his son went into some sort of shock and backed away. He could also feel a really tainted soul coming their way. Guessing it to be Asura and...was that a werewolf following his ex-student?

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean just what I said."

"I-..They can't be dead! See," Kid pointed at the corpse lying right next to himself, "They're bleeding and can feel pain. They're real people!"

"No son, they are people but not normal. These are the humans I have soul buried. Those who may not pass onto the next stage and be reborn. All this,"Shinigami opened his arms wide and it was a gesture towards the whole place they were standing on, "It's for the dead and their happiness. So what if those who are already goners are going to die again? I am not risking my son for them!" He shouted and took a few steps towards Kid. The witches who were pooling into the city, seemed to evade the place they were in so Kid wondered if his father had put a spell on it.

His father.

How had that wonderful and respected word became such a vile thing, such a tainted word. Not full of love and care, not even attention he wanted from his father but full of anger and despair. Kid didn't notice it but when he thought of these, the first sanzu-line on his head crawled closer to its end, almost completing the circle. Shinigami didn't notice it either but Asura most certainly did with Mabaa. He was walking down an alley which was connected to god knows where but right now, he didn't give a damn about his whereabouts.

´I'm dying...´ He thought, ´In an alley in death city...too ironic.`

"Hey wait a little!" Free shouted from behind Asura. He had caught up with the injured man. Everything seemed to go downhill. "I said wait!" Free shouted again when Asura didn't stop. The werewolf stepped forwards and grabbed the lanky shoulder, making Asura turn.

"We need you to come back. Don't do something as stupid as die here." Free said and looked at the Kishin with his beady yellow eyes, the _No Future_ carved above the other. Maybe there really was no future in here. Maybe the world would end and he with it.

Asura could practically feel hundreds of witch wavelengths penetrating the city walls and the witch queen was with them, hovering above the city, taking control. Even a lesser man would've known that this was the end. There was no way Shinigami could defend against a force this great when he didn't have all the Death Scythes and the meisters were on missions all around the world. It would be dangerous to leave now and Free didn't have any choice but to follow the tired Kishin when he hobbled forwards.

For Asura it wasn't that simple. He could hear them. The screams of people inside his head as the citizens were killed. Dead people whose souls were destroyed and the only place they could be peacefully on was crumbling. Death City was burying itself to the ground and a fire had spread at the Northern gate. The remaining meisters were trying to extinguish it but to no avail. His mind was filled with wonderment and it felt easy to walk, almost like someone else was forcing him forwards.

"Now listen, you can't do anything like that. Did something happen to your healing abilities?" Free asked and eyed the bloody back of Asura. The blood, of course, was black and it left a trail behind him. ´I cannot reach my abilities...´ Asura grabbed the closest railing for support and finally they arrived to the main street. Shibusen's backside was opening right in front of them.

"Damn, we were moving circles!" Free cursed and scanned the area with his eye. A dozen witches were at the end of the street and the avenue continued to go on until Free's eyes settled on two figures, who turned out to be Shinigami and his brat. Asura felt his throat constrict his breathing and he teetered to the street, but this act, fortunately, went unnoticed by the duo. Free could see that they were arguing about something. Using his demon eye, Free quickly noticed a great wavelength coming towards them.

It was the witch-queen, Mabaa.

That exact moment Kid shouted something and pushed his father away from him. He turned around and Shinigami reached for him, and this made him see the crowd building up right in front of him. Kid was running at Free and Mabaa while Asura teetered into another alley, completely oblivious to the world around him.

"Kid wait!" He shouted but the boy was already far from him. That's when the descended Mabaa, who was still sitting on top of her flying mat raised her palm and shot a spell at Kid, Shinigami had to make a decision. Asura was disappearing to the alley and his son was in danger. To whom should he go to?

Mabaa's spell knocked Kid against the rocky ground and his lip split. Kid moaned and his hair got into his mouth so that he had to spit it out. He heard distant voices but couldn't make out what they were speaking about when a strong pair of arms grabbed him, then something sharp was put against his throat.

"Don't move." Free whispered into Kid's ear. The werewolf glared the witch-queen who returned the favor. It was unheard of that Mabaa was working with half-breeds, particularly one that had stolen her eye but when she had commanded Free to take Kid as a hostage, he hadn't objected. Mabaa gave him a curt nod and Free growled. Damn, his mission to bring the Kishin back turned out be a complete disaster, not even mentioning he had lost the damned god already. Mabaa started speaking.

"Death god! Hear me and what I have to say," She started while Death looked frustrated. "We have taken a hold of your city and are holding your meisters and weapons as hostages. You have no army and no power now that almost all the witches are here. If you want your son back unharmed, you'll cease to follow the Kishin and give up on the attempts of resistance immediately."

Short and stimulating but Shinigami still looked unready to comply. The werewolf pressed his grey claws more harder against Kid's skin which was now bleeding. The boy struggled but was still drowsy.

"Put him down dog. He's got no part in this." Shinigami said. A black mass was spreading from his cloak to his hand and the black scythe appeared again.

"Cease your hostility. Look at what you've become and stop before something irrevocable happens." Mabaa raised her palm and she was hovering right next to Kid now. The witches that had accompanied the queen in the air were now hovering right above Kid and Free. The Rio witch looked impassive and the raccoon witch bored. Next to them were Chameleon, frog, rat and swan witches.

"Just stop it." Mabaa said quietly and Kid almost choked. Did he hear pity and sadness in that voice? Well if no one else had, Shinigami definitely hadn't because he smiled coldly.

"Ahh Mabaa, remembering the old times? You didn't lower yourself to hostages then."

"My terms are simple. You only need to agree upon them and I'll let you go." Mabaa said, more firmly this time. Shinigami snorted loudly, the scythe twitched in his hand and he looked at Free. The yellow eyes bore into the poor werewolf's soul, baring it. Free gasped and dropped Kid.

"FATHER!" Kid screamed before he hit the ground because all the witches above flew at Death and before Kid could see, they were already right in front of his father. Witches' eyes were scary. They were like slits and they smoked and shone in the evening. The sun had painted the sky orange and red and was laughing as usually. All the other noises in the city were soon extinguished and Kid knew this was the end. They couldn't rise up from here. They'd both be killed and now that their people had died, no one was to deliver the dead onto the next stage.

But Lord Death swung his scythe at the witches and they recoiled, fighting fiercely. Claws were brought forth, spells flew, smashing onto buildings. One witch screeched because the scythe hauled her up and smashed her against the ground. Shinigami pushed the scythe's pointy end against her stomach and twisted it, jumping up and kicking the oncoming witch at her side. He quickly swung the scythe away from the ground and it was a lone 'swish' sound as the women went flying. One flew from behind and shot a green spell at Shinigami that hit its target. Shinigami screamed and staggered forward, leaving him bare for other attacks. The witches saw the opportunity and attacked fiercely, bringing down their nastiest weapons and spells and the sound was reverberating!

Mabaa watched this and created a sole glance at Kid who looked desperate. She knew he wanted to go and help Shinigami but couldn't. He'd only be in the way and the boy knew it.

"Lady Mabaa, we've successfully taken the whole city in control and all the meisters and the weapons have been placed in front of the school, bounded. What would you have me do with them?" a reporting witch had appeared next to Mabaa. The old woman pondered this. She could try to turn them to servants and take them with her or then she could always kill them. As hostages, they were pretty useless anyway since Death was fighting despite her warning. The Kishin eggs were still a problem though and having meisters to get rid of them was very convenient.

"Transport them to my castle, none of them is to be killed."

"Understood." She bowed and disappeared.

The fight in front of her had moved onto the roofs and she had to strain her neck to see what was going on. They were closing on the city border and if they could force Shinigami to the desert where he'd be open from all sides, they'd come out as the winners. What worried Mabaa was the receding wavelengths of both her young mongrel meister and the kishin. Their souls had been cut out from each other and were very unstable. Mabaa was fairly aware of the fragments inside Asura and they still worried her, even though they'd proved themselves harmless at this point.

"Have someone find the kishin and his traveling companion. Transport them to the medical ward and do nothing before I arrive." Mabaa gestured the Rio witch who bowed saying 'yes ma'am', and left to do her job.

An explosion appeared right in the red building opposite Mabaa's looming figure. She sat down on her flying carpet and hovered forward, the witches following her trail. The swan witch snapped her fingers, making Kid exclaim when he and Free were lifted into the air.

Following the street to the end, the desert was visible suddenly as a roaring beast when Death used his own skills and magic to lift the sand onward as a mighty bird. It rose from the hard grains and fell onto the witches who each shouted for their own shield to appear.

"Look what your father is, don't avert those eyes. You need to see this." Mabaa spoke to Kid who was struggling against his bonds. Even upside down, Kid could see how many of the witches had been crushed. He inwardly cheered for his father to continue but when Death descended, a blade caught between his ribs and collarbone.

"Father no..." a pitiful plea came from his mouth quietly. "Why are you doing this? Shibusen didn't attack you!"

"That's exactly the reason why. In war, you don't ask the other side to attack." Mabaa's voice was carried off by wind and she closed her eyes. This wouldn't do. The city was collapsing the souls inside weren't safe. If not careful, they might turn into kishin eggs from grief itself. "Werewolf, come here."

"What do you need now?" Free asked from the ground. Mabaa didn't like the sound of the man's voice but let it go this time.

"I need you to perform soul resonance with me."

"With me?" His eyes ogled at her in bafflement."It'll not work, I'll tell you. I'm a werewolf!"

"And I can be sadist when I wish to. Now – with me." She gestured and Free growled. He jumped on the flying carpet with astonishing agility and sat down.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Sit and be quiet." Mabaa hushed and touched Free's demon eye, _her_ eye, with her fingertip. Free looked around uneasily and instead of focusing on Mabaa, he looked at the battle over the desert. The damned god was bleeding quite a lot and...was that black mud coming off from his wounds?

Free glanced at Kid and grimaced. He definitely hoped they weren't like a father and son in bodily sense.

Suddenly, an alien presence invaded his mind and he could see Mabaa's looming hand in his mind. He looked at her in question but she stayed still.

_´So simple. I could destroy his mind and take the eye back but...´ _but she had better plans. Spreading her wavelength into his soul, the werewolf grudgingly accepted it and they were in soul resonance. Mabaa reveled in her powers as it felt like she had both of her eyes intact. She felt for every single soul in the city and counted them. In the wrecked school her witches were trying to help Maka stabilize and the Kishin was unconscious. She hoped her underlings found the man in one piece before Shibusen did.

When in the werewolf's mind, she cut herself off from connections and didn't feel anything then. Rampaging through things, she searched alleys in his mind and things she hadn't seen. Mabaa felt the werewolf's eyes stay open though and saw through them. Her guards were fighting against the younger Shinigami who broke free of his bounds. _(The alley on the southern side was the location of the Kishin)_ His father didn't realize it and her servants didn't care for the kid but let him run to the battle, very aware of dangers but he ran. _(The students were trying to get away from her troops without succeeding.)_ Then there was a crash and scream and the kid fell down, Shinigami looking down at his son in disbelief. _(Werewolf stealing her eye, plucking it out in the dark and stealing half of her wits with him.)_

What had happened?

Then, as suddenly as her eye had been ripped off, the resonance ended and Mabaa jerked back. Something got a hold of her carpet and drew it in with an impressive speed. Hard breathing blew against her neck before Mabaa had to chance to curse.

"Stay put..." Shinigami whispered to her ear and gripped her arms behind her back. Mabaa realized she was being held by the man now. His chest pressed against her back and one of his arms was gripping both of her arms behind her back.

"What are you trying?" Mabaa hissed as her panicked guards shouted at Shinigami and to each other. Would she be killed now?

"I'm getting out of here." Shinigami whispered back and took a piece of paper from the folds of his ragged cloak. It bore a strikingly similar appearance to the one Noah's men had used once to get away from her and she knew what would happen next.

Death put the blade of his black scythe against Mabaa's unexposed throat and touched the paper.

"MABAA-SAMA!"

"You vile thing! Give her back-"

but then they were gone and Mabaa spiraled to unconsciousness.

* * *

.

.

.

Medusa, called upon emergency, looked down at her patient on the surgeon table and repressed a look of disgust. She looked so utterly torn and spent that she was actually quite reluctant to start the surgery but just let her pass on. But she really didn't want to give up her valuable test subject this easily.

Black blood flowed from her subject's wounds, with her ankles having weird fractures and bone coming through. The other one in the same room wasn't any better. A guest - that's what they called him. Death The Kid was sprawled on the other table, looking blank. She had been told that he had caught a full power of one blast, intended for his father.

Foolish child.

"Start the removal of the girl's magic. We need to pour it into him for this brat to make it." Medusa dealt orders around and narrowed her eyes. Eruka moved around with a few other witches. The fact that Maka had prism magic was too good to be coincidence with the timing of Kid's injury, because only Prism magic could replace Shinigami's life and death magic.

"Give me the scalpel."

* * *

She didn't visit the Kishin since his room was forbidden to go in. The witches that had carried him inside were dying already and half mad. Medusa only stood in front of the wooden door in the white palace, trying to see what was going on behind.

"I'm sending her in when she's better. You need to wait." She murmured to the door, half way thinking that it was stupid. Then she left, leaving him behind the door.

* * *

The place was way more grand than her previous one had been but Medusa didn't really complain. From all the chaotic things happening in the outside world, you could have never guessed it from the insides of these halls that held floras, trees, plants and all sort of colorful and...happy things inside.

It was healing facility which she had never had the chance to visit.

Three days ago the battle over Shibusen had ended in witches' victory but not without a cost. Their queen, the grandmother Mabaa, was kidnapped by Death and their whereabouts were still unknown. As the sun made the new raindrops on the ground shine like diamonds, Medusa couldn't help but be slightly depressed over the fact that rain had washed the ground and sun made it pretty but none of her test-subjects were alright.

Walking alone in the great hallways and sniffing big flowers, the place seemed to have resemblance to Greek's palaces. She wouldn't have been surprised to find a few of the philosophers and Caesars strolling around with their concubines and servants, doing their daily deeds. She could imagine herself being the ruler here if not for her troubled mind as she skipped to one of the rooms - more well lit than the others because of the windows.

"Hello Maka. How are your ankles?" Medusa asked with a smile as her white coat flapped behind her. The girl was sitting under an arched vault, looking forward and not really answering. Medusa walked over to the girl who shrunk back and glared the witch.

"Go away. I don't need you here." She hissed, her ash blond hair cascading down her shoulders. Medusa gave her a frown.

"Don't take that tone with me. I'm here for you remember."

"I don't need you to be here. You're the one at fault for making me not-human." if anything the glare intensified. Medusa sighed.

"That was anything but me my dear. Eruka acted on her own. I did nothing but leave my working kit close to her." A lie. Yes, they both knew it but Medusa didn't tell truths when they didn't help in cooperation. "Now give me your ankles. I'll do a full body check when you remove your garments."

Maka snorted but handed the witch her feet. Medusa crouched and took them to her hands – sometimes pinching them, turning them and giving them the needed pressure, until she nodded in approval.

"Congratulations. My healing skills have restored your bones."

"Thanks. I guess." Maka frowned and tried to stand up. She hobbled and fell down. Medusa laughed at her pitiful tries to get up.

"Oh you won't walk that easily yet. But still...this might be enough."

"Enough for what!" Maka shouted, feeling very annoyed with this situation. If only she had a book. She'd knock her with it! But Medusa just hummed, leaving Maka into her own room.

After this it had been four days after Mabaa's kidnapping and the end of the battle.

* * *

She couldn't have been unconscious for more than a few hours but had decided to sleep when she couldn't sense Shinigami nearby her. Sleep took her old and ragged body and Mabaa could relax for once. The cave she was in was a stalactite cave and the walls weren't bend too well for her back so it hurt.

She slept for three days.

´I'm becoming too old for this...´ She thought when drinking water from a nearby pool. She didn't have a cup and spatial magic did wonders to water so with her hands, she cupped them, and brought them to her mouth, drinking. The cracked lips protested against the water and they hurt too but she didn't care.

That night, when she was alone, Mabaa heard footsteps coming closer from the darkness. They were slow and dragged, as if the person didn't want to come closer and she kept her eyes shut. She already knew who it was.

"Mabaa, I've brought you food." Shinigami whispered quietly and crouched to her level.

"About time..."She murmured and took one of the fruits he had brought. She couldn't stop wondering where they were and why he had taken her here of all places. She had visited these kind of stalactite caves in her youth whens she was but a child and used her magic to break the stalactites, hanging from the roof.

"What a place," she muttered, gritting her teeth when peeling the fruit. Shinigami's eyes were the only thing visible of him and they gleamed in the cave. "You've eaten then?"

"Plenty." he answered and sat down. Well at least she thought so because of the rustle of his cloak. Then it became quiet and she could only hear his breathing and her munching and the constant dripping of water in the cave. The ground under her was starting to become annoying and she hadn't had a proper place to sleep for four days. At her age, when you went over 800 years, it was important to take care of those little things such as bed.

"You know you can't keep me here forever."

"I don't intend to."

Mabaa was quiet. "How badly are you hurt?" she asked it with apathy but it sounded too much concerned for her liking. A rustle of clothing and a blink of the yellow eyes and Mabaa could have sworn he was staring at her. She would've liked to see his face. It was youthful unlike hers and different kind of madness dwelled in those eyes than hers. Maybe that werewolf had taken something else as well than her eyes and half of her mind.

"Badly." he finally answered and took her free hand to press it against his collarbone. It came away bloody. Mabaa clenched her hand and closed her eyes. She didn't feel so hungry anymore.

"How can you be worried?" Shinigami let out a small laugh and raised his eyebrow but in the dark, you didn't see it.

"I'm always worried."

"You won't live long then."

"I don't intend to."

That made him speechless. The quietness fell again and Mabaa felt herself dozing off from time to time. "He'll kill you at some point." naming wasn't needed. He knew what she was talking about but didn't do anything. Answering was useless to this woman's rhetorical questions. "Why did you give them to him? The Fragments."

"I felt like they'd kill him before it happened the other way around." Shinigami mused,"Students always kill their masters...I shouldn't be so surprised it happens now too."

Mabaa grabbed his cloak. Shinigami looked at where she was supposed to be and felt some of the fruits roll away from her to his feet. She didn't shake, didn't tremble and didn't stutter any words out but Shinigami got the message. "Stockholm Syndrome is curable you know."

"Shut up." She growled and her red eye flashed. "Did you search all those years for the perfect apprentice to kill _you_?"

"I did not."

"Then why is he here now?" She didn't know it. How had _Death_ picked up his own demise without knowing it. Shinigami sighed, his long hair brushing against Mabaa's fingers. It was a morbid scene which didn't trouble her the slightest – blood dripping to her fingers and running down to her black cloak. He could be cured if he ate her soul. Mabaa didn't doubt that he knew it too.

"Asura's different," he explained slowly and put his hand on hers, "Was different even then. You don't know where I took him from but you saw him for the first time. You said he was sick."

"He still is."

He smiled, "Finding him took twenty years you know. You ought to respect my patience a bit." Her grip tightened threateningly and she glared at him. Mabaa didn't like to be laughed at. "Still a queen, your majesty..." Shinigami muttered.

"Those years ago, way in the past, when we were still eight as whole, one of my original warlords got killed. He died cursing me and my name and was cursed in turn and his soul was eaten by my scythe." She didn't know why he was telling him this but let him. If he left her now, he'd not return. She just knew it.

"But I needed a replacement for him. A strong one who could withstand power and insanity and the eight which had become seven. Yes.._._and in my time, I had found a boy in the slums but he didn't look like he had come from there. No, he looked like he had come from the far lands of East that were yet unknown to me and my men."

"What a pain you were then..." Mabaa whispered to herself but he laughed. He played with her safety pins.

"That's true. And you aren't a very good hostage, my queen."

"You aren't a very good captor."

"Forgive me if I forgot to bring my torturing devices with me." Death snorted. His hand on hers tightened its hold and Shinigami brought Mabaa closer to himself. "I'm getting old too." He rested his head on hers and the hat fell from on top of her head. Mabaa's silver hair hadn't been washed but he didn't seem to mind at all.

"Asura clothed himself differently. Spoke differently, if he spoke at all, and moved more gracefully than my other fighters. I do not know where he had come from but he didn't belong in those rickety slums. So I took him. I took him and still don't know what exactly he is. But he was here to challenge my existence, the existence of Death God which had been so absolutely for all those years. That's the Evolution of Kishin which my ancestors wanted to avoid." He sighed and Mabaa was quiet, not having the mind to speak anymore. She felt him move and didn't stop him when Shinigami thrust his blade in her stomach. The only thing she felt when blood pooled down was her own grief and regret at him.

* * *

**A/N: **Soul Seal* = Soul wavelength being into objects and things such as rooms, palaces and other places to make them loyal to you. Shinigami used this when he created Death Room and gave the Room a personality. (THIS APPLIES ONLY TO SIDEWAYS!)

To Shikangae: All the stories have the dark and boring side to them but I hope the next chapter will be cheerful enough and lift your spirits :)


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